Successful treatment of epidural abscess with a percutaneously introduced 4-French catheter for drainage

Epidural abscess after multiple lumbar punctures for labour epidural catheter placement

Epidural catheterization is routinely used by anaesthesiologists to provide labour and post-operative analgesia. In most cases, catheter placement is without serious side effects and uneventful. However, epidural abscess is a rare complication that may result in severe morbidity. We present a case of epidural abscess after labour epidural catheter placement in a healthy 36-year-old female who presented on post-partum d 10 with complaints of fever and back pain. She was treated with intravenous antibiotics and fully recovered.

Spinal epidural abscess: appearance on magnetic resonance imaging as a guide to surgical management

Spinal epidural abscess is associated with considerable rates of morbidity and mortality despite its infrequent occurrence. Advances in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technology have allowed easier diagnosis of this potentially devastating condition. It is also possible to predict the intraoperative appearance of each case of spinal epidural abscess prior to the procedure, based on the MR findings. Surgical treatment of this condition usually involves extensive decompressive laminectomy, which predisposes patients to spinal instability and deformity. Recent advances in surgical approaches to spinal epidural abscess have included the institution of less invasive techniques to manage this condition, including saline washes of the epidural space through catheters introduced via limited laminotomy. The cases reported here illustrate the ability to predict the intraoperative findings in patients with spinal epidural abscess, and to adjust the surgical approach accordingly to minimize the extent of potentially destabilizing procedures without impinging on the effectiveness of treatment.