2. STRIKE ONE
Mr. Gopakumar, 28 years from Neyyatinkara.
Working in the BSF & posted in Bengal.
Developed a nagging backache.
Admitted in a local hospital near his base on
17/10/07.
D/D on 20/10/07 as he was better.
3. STRIKE TWO
Backache was back by 23/10/07.
Shooting pain radiating from back to
umbilicus.
Noticed gradually developing weakness of
both lower limbs.
Admitted from 23/10/07 to 31/10/07.
Symptoms grew worse and he got on the next
train home.
4. STRIKE THREE
Reached here on 3/11/07.
Weakness of lower limbs was complete.
Had lost all sensation in both lower limbs.
In the final day of journey high grade fever set
in.
Backache was very severe with difficulty in
lying on his back.
5. SNIPPETS
No significant medical past history.
H/o haemorrhoidectomy 7 years ago.
Occasional alcoholic.
Non smoker.
6. PRESENTING PICTURE
Moderately built and nourished.
Concious and oriented.
Febrile.
No PICCLE, conjunctival congestion.
Chest – Clear.
CVS – WNL.
Abdomen – Bladder distended.
Spine - Tenderness at D12 spine.
7. NEUROLOGIC DEFICITS
Grade 0 power both LL.
Reflexes totally absent below the level of
umbilicus.
Sensations totally absent below the level of
umbilicus.
Bladder was distended.
Rest of the nervous system examination was
normal.
14. EPILOGUE
Patient was handed over to the NS1 unit of the
Dept.of Neurosurgery for further
management on 6/11/07.
He underwent posterior decompression with
abscess evacuation on 13/11/07.
15. INNARDS
Histopathology report:-
Section shows fragments of a lesion composed of
numerous granulomas composed of epitheloid
cells, multinucleated giant cells of Langhans
type & inflammatory cells composed of mainly
lymphocytes & also neutrophils. Areas show
extensive caseation necrosis. The inflammatory
infiltrate seems to invade the adjacent adipose
tissue.
Caseating granulomatous inflammatory lesion
consistent with Tuberculosis.
16. FOOTNOTE
Patient was put on daily regimen of ATT.
He bettered during the rest of his hospital stay.
He was discharged on 21/11/07 with grade 1+
power in both LL.
18. Remains a challenging problem that often
eludes diagnosis and receives suboptimal
treatment.
Vague symptomatology & non-specific clinical
findings in the early stages can make diagnosis
difficult.
19. AETIOLOGY
Predisposing factors:-
• Underlying disease (DM, alcoholism, HIV, etc)
• Spinal abnormality/intervention (Joint degeneration, Sx)
• Source of infection- local/systemic
Mode of spread:-
• Hematogenous- 50% cases
• Contiguous- 33% cases
• Rest- unknown
• Abscess can spread locally or via bloodstream
20. ORGANISMS
Staph. aureus- 67%
MRSA on the increase
S.epidermidis (invasive procedure)
E.coli (UTI)
P.aeruginosa (iv drug abuse)
Rare- Actinomycetes, Nocardia, Mycobacteria,
Fungi.
21. COURSE OF DISEASE
STAGE I- Pain @ affected spine(s)
STAGE II- Nerve root pain from involved area
STAGE III- Motor weakness, sensory deficit,
bowel & bladder dysfunction.
STAGE IV- Paralysis
22. CLINICAL FEATURES
CLASSIC TRIAD (infrequently seen):-
• Back pain- 75% pts
• Fever- 50% pts
• Neurologic deficit- 33% pts (pattern depends on site)
Duration & progression of symptoms vary widely
Source of infection may be identifiable
23. SITES
More in infection-prone fat & larger epidural
spaces
Posterior > Anterior
Thoracolumbar > Cervical
Usually span 3-4 vertebrae
Can involve the whole spine- Panspinal
infection
24. DIAGNOSIS
Clinical features + clinical findings + lab data +
investigation + high degree of suspicion
Lab data (not specific):-
• Leukocytosis- 66%
• CRP & ESR increased- almost 100%
• Bacterimia- 60%
• CSF (mostly)- Protein ↑, Glucose N
Leukocytosis (neutro+lympho)
Gram stain- neg
Culture- CSF +ve 25% (= Blood +ve 100%)
25. INVESTIGATIONS
LP to be avoided:-
Not much helpful
Meningitis
Subdural infection
Neurologic deterioration if below complete block
X-ray spine-
Narrowed disc space
Bone lysis
CT myelography- 90% specific, but unadvisable
26. IMAGING MODALITY OF CHOICE
MRI + Gadolinium (best)
Less invasive
Delineates lesion best
Diff b/w infection & tumours
28. TREATMENT
Surgical- Decompression laminectomy and
debridement. (Rate of progress of symptoms cannot be
predicted. Sx as early as possible)
Appropriate systemic antibiotics (min 6
weeks)
Emperical- Vancomycin + 3rd /4th gen Cephalosporin
MSSA- Cefazolin/Naficillin
30. PROGNOSIS
Best predictor of post-op final neurologic
outcome is pre-op neurologic status.
Paralysis of <24-36 hrs= better prognosis.
Recovery can continue till about 1 year.