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Spinal epidural abscess

MedGen UID:
68667
•Concept ID:
C0238434
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Abscess, Spinal Epidural; Abscess, Spinal Extradural; Epidural Abscess, Spinal; Extradural Abscess, Spinal; Spinal Epidural Abscess; Spinal Extradural Abscess
SNOMED CT: Spinal epidural abscess (63627007); Spinal extradural abscess (63627007); Intraspinal epidural abscess (63627007); Extradural intraspinal abscess (63627007); Intraspinal extradural abscess (63627007)
 
HPO: HP:0033181

Definition

Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is caused by a suppurative infection in the epidural space. The mass effect of the abscess can compress and reduce blood flow to the spinal cord, conus medullaris, or cauda equina. [from HPO]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVSpinal epidural abscess

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Spinal Epidural Abscess: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.
Schwab JH, Shah AA
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2020 Nov 1;28(21):e929-e938. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-19-00685. PMID: 32694325
Spinal Emergencies in Primary Care Practice.
Babu JM, Patel SA, Palumbo MA, Daniels AH
Am J Med 2019 Mar;132(3):300-306. Epub 2018 Oct 3 doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2018.09.022. PMID: 30291829
Management of spinal infection: a review of the literature.
Lener S, Hartmann S, Barbagallo GMV, Certo F, Thomé C, Tschugg A
Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2018 Mar;160(3):487-496. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00701-018-3467-2. PMID: 29356895Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

High risk and low prevalence diseases: Spinal epidural abscess.
Long B, Carlson J, Montrief T, Koyfman A
Am J Emerg Med 2022 Mar;53:168-172. Epub 2022 Jan 13 doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.01.008. PMID: 35063888
Spinal Epidural Abscess: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.
Schwab JH, Shah AA
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2020 Nov 1;28(21):e929-e938. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-19-00685. PMID: 32694325
Update on spinal epidural abscess.
Babic M, Simpfendorfer CS, Berbari EF
Curr Opin Infect Dis 2019 Jun;32(3):265-271. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000544. PMID: 31021957
Brain and Spinal Epidural Abscess.
Chow F
Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2018 Oct;24(5, Neuroinfectious Disease):1327-1348. doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000649. PMID: 30273242
Spinal epidural abscess.
Tompkins M, Panuncialman I, Lucas P, Palumbo M
J Emerg Med 2010 Sep;39(3):384-90. Epub 2010 Jan 8 doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2009.11.001. PMID: 20060254

Diagnosis

Spinal Epidural Abscess: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.
Schwab JH, Shah AA
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2020 Nov 1;28(21):e929-e938. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-19-00685. PMID: 32694325
Management of spinal infection: a review of the literature.
Lener S, Hartmann S, Barbagallo GMV, Certo F, Thomé C, Tschugg A
Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2018 Mar;160(3):487-496. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00701-018-3467-2. PMID: 29356895Free PMC Article
Tropical myelopathies.
Román GC
Handb Clin Neurol 2014;121:1521-48. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-7020-4088-7.00102-4. PMID: 24365434
Spinal epidural abscess.
Johnson KG
Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am 2013 Sep;25(3):389-97. Epub 2013 May 14 doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2013.04.002. PMID: 23981455
Spinal epidural abscess.
Darouiche RO
N Engl J Med 2006 Nov 9;355(19):2012-20. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra055111. PMID: 17093252

Therapy

Spinal Epidural Abscess: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.
Schwab JH, Shah AA
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2020 Nov 1;28(21):e929-e938. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-19-00685. PMID: 32694325
Update on spinal epidural abscess.
Babic M, Simpfendorfer CS, Berbari EF
Curr Opin Infect Dis 2019 Jun;32(3):265-271. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000544. PMID: 31021957
Management of spinal infection: a review of the literature.
Lener S, Hartmann S, Barbagallo GMV, Certo F, Thomé C, Tschugg A
Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2018 Mar;160(3):487-496. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00701-018-3467-2. PMID: 29356895Free PMC Article
Spinal epidural abscess.
Tompkins M, Panuncialman I, Lucas P, Palumbo M
J Emerg Med 2010 Sep;39(3):384-90. Epub 2010 Jan 8 doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2009.11.001. PMID: 20060254
Spinal epidural abscess.
Darouiche RO
N Engl J Med 2006 Nov 9;355(19):2012-20. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra055111. PMID: 17093252

Prognosis

Spinal Epidural Abscess: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.
Schwab JH, Shah AA
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2020 Nov 1;28(21):e929-e938. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-19-00685. PMID: 32694325
Update on spinal epidural abscess.
Babic M, Simpfendorfer CS, Berbari EF
Curr Opin Infect Dis 2019 Jun;32(3):265-271. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000544. PMID: 31021957
Management of spinal infection: a review of the literature.
Lener S, Hartmann S, Barbagallo GMV, Certo F, Thomé C, Tschugg A
Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2018 Mar;160(3):487-496. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00701-018-3467-2. PMID: 29356895Free PMC Article
Medical and surgical management of spinal epidural abscess: a systematic review.
Arko L 4th, Quach E, Nguyen V, Chang D, Sukul V, Kim BS
Neurosurg Focus 2014 Aug;37(2):E4. doi: 10.3171/2014.6.FOCUS14127. PMID: 25081964
Medicolegal cases for spinal epidural hematoma and spinal epidural abscess.
French KL, Daniels EW, Ahn UM, Ahn NU
Orthopedics 2013 Jan;36(1):48-53. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20121217-09. PMID: 23276337

Clinical prediction guides

Spinal Epidural Abscess: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.
Schwab JH, Shah AA
J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2020 Nov 1;28(21):e929-e938. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-19-00685. PMID: 32694325
Update on spinal epidural abscess.
Babic M, Simpfendorfer CS, Berbari EF
Curr Opin Infect Dis 2019 Jun;32(3):265-271. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000544. PMID: 31021957
Medical and surgical management of spinal epidural abscess: a systematic review.
Arko L 4th, Quach E, Nguyen V, Chang D, Sukul V, Kim BS
Neurosurg Focus 2014 Aug;37(2):E4. doi: 10.3171/2014.6.FOCUS14127. PMID: 25081964
Spinal epidural abscess.
Kumar K, Hunter G
Neurocrit Care 2005;2(3):245-51. doi: 10.1385/NCC:2:3:245. PMID: 16159070
Spinal epidural abscess.
Baker AS, Ojemann RG, Swartz MN, Richardson EP Jr
N Engl J Med 1975 Sep 4;293(10):463-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197509042931001. PMID: 1152860

Recent systematic reviews

Spinal epidural abscesses - The role for non-operative management: A systematic review.
Gardner WT, Rehman H, Frost A
Surgeon 2021 Aug;19(4):226-237. Epub 2020 Jul 16 doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2020.06.011. PMID: 32684428
The time-sensitive challenge of diagnosing spinal epidural abscess in the emergency department.
Alerhand S, Wood S, Long B, Koyfman A
Intern Emerg Med 2017 Dec;12(8):1179-1183. Epub 2017 Aug 4 doi: 10.1007/s11739-017-1718-5. PMID: 28779448
Incidence and risk factors for failed medical management of spinal epidural abscess: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Stratton A, Gustafson K, Thomas K, James MT
J Neurosurg Spine 2017 Jan;26(1):81-89. Epub 2016 Sep 16 doi: 10.3171/2016.6.SPINE151249. PMID: 27636865
How Best to Manage the Spinal Epidural Abscess? A Current Systematic Review.
Suppiah S, Meng Y, Fehlings MG, Massicotte EM, Yee A, Shamji MF
World Neurosurg 2016 Sep;93:20-8. Epub 2016 Jun 1 doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2016.05.074. PMID: 27262655
Medical and surgical management of spinal epidural abscess: a systematic review.
Arko L 4th, Quach E, Nguyen V, Chang D, Sukul V, Kim BS
Neurosurg Focus 2014 Aug;37(2):E4. doi: 10.3171/2014.6.FOCUS14127. PMID: 25081964

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