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Case Reports
. 2018 Feb 23:2018:bcr2017223136.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-223136.

Postoperative epidural abscess after spinal anaesthesia for a circumcision necessitated by phimosis

Sjaak Pouwels  1   2 , Darryl M Coll  3   4 , Alexander G J van Marle  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Postoperative epidural abscess after spinal anaesthesia for a circumcision necessitated by phimosis

Sjaak Pouwels et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

A 70-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for a penile circumcision due to phimosis using continuous dose spinal anaesthesia. On postoperative day 10 he came to the emergency department with a superficial abscess localised at the injection site of the spinal catheter. He was treated with intravenous antibiotics for 10 days, and the superficial abscess was incised and drained. Ten days later, the patient was readmitted to the emergency department with complaints of back pain and fever. A repeat MRI scan of his lumbar sacral area was done and showed epidural abscesses without any compression of the medulla or the myelum. The patient did not have any signs of spinal cord or nerve root compression at that time. He was treated with intravenous antibiotics with resolution of symptoms.

Keywords: anaesthesia; circumcision; pain; sedation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
MRI scan 10 days after the initial surgery, when the patient presented with a superficial abscess. No epidural abscesses or other abnormalities were seen.
Figure 2
Figure 2
MRI scan 24 days after the initial surgery, when the patient presented himself for the second time. Epidural abscesses were present.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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