Holocord spinal epidural abscess

Abstract

Spinal epidural abscess is rare in infants and leads to major permanent neurological deficits if the condition is left untreated. Holocord epidural abscess is extremely rare. We report a patient with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus septicemia presenting with pneumonia, retroperitoneal abscess, and epidural abscess. A 7-month-old previously healthy girl presented with fever, irritability, tachypnea for 4 days and decreased movement of the right lower limb for 1 day. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine demonstrated an extensive epidural abscess from second cervical to fifth lumbar vertebrae without osteomyelitis or discitis. The epidural abscess was treated with intravenous antibiotics for 6 weeks. At 3 months follow-up, no neurological deficits were present. Only a few case reports of holocord epidural abscess in children have been published. We present a case of conservatively treated holocord spinal abscess in an infant.