Spinal Epidural Abscess Questions & Answers

1. Darouiche RO. Spinal epidural abscess. N Engl J Med. 2006 Nov 9. 355(19):2012-20. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

2. Karikari IO, Powers CJ, Reynolds RM, Mehta AI, Isaacs RE. Management of a spontaneous spinal epidural abscess: a single-center 10-year experience. Neurosurgery. 2009 Nov. 65(5):919-23; discussion 923-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

3. Prendergast H, Jerrard D, O'Connell J. Atypical presentations of epidural abscess in intravenous drug abusers. Am J Emerg Med. 1997 Mar. 15(2):158-60. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

4. E. Reihsaus, H. Waldbaur, and W. Seeling. Spinal epidural abscess: a meta-analysis of 915 patients. Neurosurgical Review,. 2000. 23:175–204.

5. Arko IV L, Quach E, Nguyen V, Chang D, Sukul V, Kim B. Medical and surgical management of spinal epidural abscess: a systematic review. Neurosurgery Focux. 2014. 37:E4:[QxMD MEDLINE Link].

6. Joshi SM, Hatfield RH, Martin J, Taylor W. Spinal epidural abscess: a diagnostic challenge. Br J Neurosurg. 2003 Apr. 17(2):160-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

7. Ghobrial GM1, Viereck MJ, Margiotta PJ, Beygi S, Maulucci CM, Heller JE, et al. Surgical management in 40 consecutive patients with cervical spinal epidural abscesses: shifting toward circumferential treatment. Spine. 2015 Sept. 40(17):E949-53. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

8. Davis DP, Wold RM, Patel RJ, et al. The clinical presentation and impact of diagnostic delays on emergency department patients with spinal epidural abscess. J Emerg Med. 2004 Apr. 26(3):285-91. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

9. Trombly R, Guest JD. Acute central cord syndrome arising from a cervical epidural abscess: case report. Neurosurgery. 2007 Aug. 61(2):E424-5; discussion E425. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

10. Kim S, Melikian R, Ju K, et al. Independent predictors of failure of nonoperative management of spinal epidural abscesses. Spine Journal. 2014. 14:1673-1679.

11. Tasher D, Armarnik E, Mizrahi A, Liat BS, Constantini S, Grisaru-Soen G. Cat Scratch Disease With Cervical Vertebral Osteomyelitis and Spinal Epidural Abscess. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009 Jul 31. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

12. Bhise V, Meyer AND, Singh H, Wei L, Russo E, Al-Mutairi A, et al. Errors in Diagnosis of Spinal Epidural Abscesses in the Era of Electronic Health Records. Am J Med. 2017 Aug. 130 (8):975-981. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

13. Mehta SH, Shih R. Cervical epidural abscess associated with massively elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. J Emerg Med. 2004 Jan. 26(1):107-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

14. Davis DP, Salazar A, Chan TC, Vilke GM. Prospective evaluation of a clinical decision guideline to diagnose spinal epidural abscess in patients who present to the emergency department with spine pain. J Neurosurg Spine. 2011 Jun. 14(6):765-70. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

15. Ju K, Kim S, Melikian R, Bono C, Harris M. Predicting patients with concurrent noncontiguous spinal epidural abscess lesion. Spine Journal. 2015. 15:95-101.

16. Siddiq F, Chowfin A, Tight R, et al. Medical vs surgical management of spinal epidural abscess. Arch Intern Med. 2004 Dec 13-27. 164(22):2409-12. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

17. Pradilla G, Ardila GP, Hsu W, Rigamonti D. Epidural abscesses of the CNS. Lancet Neurol. 2009 Mar. 8(3):292-300. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

18. Kauffman CA, Pappas PG, Patterson TF. Fungal infections associated with contaminated methylprednisolone injections. N Engl J Med. 2013 Jun 27. 368(26):2495-500. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

19. Hawkins M, Bolton M. Pediatric spinal epidural abscess: a 9-year institutional review and review of the literature. Pediatrics. 2013 Dec. 132(6):e1680-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

20. Pereira CE, Lynch JC. Spinal epidural abscess: an analysis of 24 cases. Surg Neurol. 2005. 63 Suppl 1:S26-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

21. Patel AR, Alton TB, Bransford RJ, Lee MJ, Bellabarba CB, Chapman JR. Spinal epidural abscesses: risk factors, medical versus surgical management, a retrospective review of 128 cases. Spine J. 2014 Feb 1. 14(2):326-30. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

22. Alton T, Patel A, Bransford R, Bellabarba C, Lee M, Chapman J. Is there a difference in neurologic outcome in medical versus early operative management of cervical epidural abscesses?. Spine Journal. 2015. 15:10-17.

23. Löhr M, Reithmeir T, Ernestus R, Ebel H, Klug N. Spinal epidural abscess: prognostic factors and comparison of different surgical treatment strategies. Acta Neurochir. 2005. 147:159-166.

24. Dugas AF, Lucas JM, Edlow JA. Diagnosis of spinal cord compression in nontrauma patients in the emergency department. Acad Emerg Med. 2011 Jul. 18(7):719-25. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

25. Bluman EM, Palumbo MA, Lucas PR. Spinal epidural abscess in adults. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2004 May-Jun. 12(3):155-63. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

26. Butler KH. Spinal epidural abscess: Current diagnostic and management protocols. Emerg Med Rep. 21:95-104.

27. Gerberding JL, Romero JM, Ferraro MJ. Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Case 34-2008. A 58-year-old woman with neck pain and fever. N Engl J Med. 2008 Oct 30. 359(18):1942-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

28. Grewal S, Hocking G, Wildsmith JA. Epidural abscesses. Br J Anaesth. 2006 Mar. 96(3):292-302. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

29. Hooten WM, Kinney MO, Huntoon MA. Epidural abscess and meningitis after epidural corticosteroid injection. Mayo Clin Proc. 2004 May. 79(5):682-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

30. Tessman PA, Preston DC, Shapiro BE. Spinal epidural abscess in an afebrile patient. Arch Neurol. 2004 Apr. 61(4):590-1. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

31. Tompkins M, Panuncialman I, Lucas P, Palumbo M. Spinal epidural abscess. J Emerg Med. 2010 Sep. 39(3):384-90. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

32. Uchida K, Nakajima H, Yayama T, Sato R, Kobayashi S, Chen KB, et al. Epidural abscess associated with pyogenic spondylodiscitis of the lumbar spine; evaluation of a new MRI staging classification and imaging findings as indicators of surgical management: a retrospective study of 37 patients. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2009 Jun 30. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

Omaditya (Goldey) Khanna, MD Resident Physician, Department of Neurological Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

James S Harrop, MD Associate Professor, Departments of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgery, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University

James S Harrop, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, American Spinal Injury Association, Cervical Spine Research Society, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for: Depuy spine consulant, Asterias, Bioventus, Tejin serve on advisory boards<br/>Received research grant from: DOD, PICORI<br/>Received income in an amount equal to or greater than $250 from: Stryker honorarium.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Florian P Thomas, MD, PhD, MA, MS Chair, Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neurology, Director, Hereditary Neuropathy Center, Co-Director, Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health, Co-Director, ALS Center, Hackensack University Medical Center; Associate Dean of Faculty, Founding Chair and Professor, Department of Neurology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Florian P Thomas, MD, PhD, MA, MS is a member of the following medical societies: Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Niranjan N Singh, MBBS, MD, DM, FAHS, FAANEM Adjunct Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine; Medical Director of St Mary's Stroke Program, SSM Neurosciences Institute, SSM Health

Niranjan N Singh, MBBS, MD, DM, FAHS, FAANEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American Headache Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Edward L Hogan, MD Professor, Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia; Emeritus Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina

Edward L Hogan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, Society for Neuroscience, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, Southern Clinical Neurological Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

J Stephen Huff, MD, FACEP Professor of Emergency Medicine and Neurology, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine

J Stephen Huff, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American College of Emergency Physicians, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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