Successful Treatment of Epidural Abscess with Percutaneous Drainage: A case report. |
Helen Ki Shinn, Young Deog Cha, Jang Ho Song, Jeong Wook Han, Choon Soo Lee, Hee Chang Ko, Son Hyoung Eum |
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea. aneanal@hotmail.com |
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Abstract |
Continuous epidural analgesia is commonly used for chronic pain treatment as well as postoperative pain control.
Epidural abscess is rare, but it is a serious complication of the continuous epidural analgesia, which leads to neurologic sequelae. Epidural catheter was inserted to a 87-year-old woman who complained of postherpetic neuralgia from T6 dermatome for continuous epidural analgesia. Two weeks later, neuralgia was aggravated along with back pain and tenderness around catheter insertion area. ESR and CRP level was also elevated. Epidural abscess was detected on MRI scan right after removal of catheter. It has been improved with percutaneous drainage via Tuohy needle with antibiotics without need for surgery. We conclude that percutaneous drainage with antibiotics is an effective method for the treatment of early diagnosed epidural abscess without neurologic deficit, especially in the high risk patients for operation. |
Key Words:
continuous epidural analgesia; epidural abscess; percutaneous drainage; postherpetic neuralgia |
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