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Rapidly progressive paraplegia and pleural empyema: how does that correlate?
Mario Lescan1, Guilherme Lepski, Volker Steger
1Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Tuebingen University Hospital, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany, mariolescan@gmx.de.
Abstract:
A 74-year-old man presented with progressive dyspnea after a 10-days latency following a thoracic trauma. CT imaging showed multiple rib fracture and an empyema that was primarily treated by a chest tube. In the course of the hospital stay, a rapidly progressive paraplegia developed and the MR imaging revealed a peridural abscess caused by a pleural empyema. Due to trauma-related barrier damage and the initial delay of the operative therapy a usually less invasive pathogen (streptococcus intermedius) could affect the peridural space. The successful therapy consisted of urgent laminectomy and a subsequent video-assisted thoracoscopy supported by systemic antibiotic therapy.
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