Intramedullary Abscess by Staphylococcus aureus Presenting as Cauda Equina Syndrome to the Emergency Department
Dimitrios Damaskos1, Helene Jumeau2, François-Xavier Lens2
1Surgical Emergency Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
Abstract:
Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare entity presenting with low back pain, unilateral or bilateral sciatica, motor weakness of lower extremities, sensory disturbance in the perineal area, and urinary and/or faecal incontinence. Those symptoms are secondary to compression of the cauda equina. If not recognized, CES can lead to irreversible disabilities. We report the case of a 77-year-old lady who presented to the emergency department with a ten-day history of back pain as well as urinary incontinence.
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