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Updated: Dec 14, 2025
06:02
Posterior Approach for Debridement of the Psoas Abscess
Published on: March 2, 2020
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Aggregatibacter aphrophilus spinal epidural abscess.
Antoine Altdorfer1, Pierre Gavage2, Filip Moerman3
1Infectious diseases, CHR Citadelle, Liege, Belgium antoine.altdorfer@chrcitadelle.be.
BMJ Case Reports
|July 18, 2020
Summary
A rare spinal epidural abscess (SEA) in a patient without risk factors was successfully treated. Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, a HACEK group bacterium, was identified and managed with surgery and antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a serious condition often associated with specific risk factors.
- The HACEK group of bacteria are known pathogens but rarely implicated in SEA.
Observation:
- A 76-year-old woman presented with back pain, progressive lower limb neurological deficit, and loss of sphincter control.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) confirmed the diagnosis of SEA.
- No typical risk factors for SEA were identified in this patient.
Findings:
- Surgical laminectomy and drainage were performed.
- Cultures revealed Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, a member of the HACEK group, as the causative agent.
- Post-operative treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone for six weeks yielded excellent clinical outcomes.
Implications:
- This case highlights the possibility of SEA caused by unusual pathogens like Aggregatibacter aphrophilus in patients without apparent risk factors.
- Early diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy, such as ceftriaxone, are crucial for favorable outcomes in SEA.
- Further research may be warranted to understand the epidemiology and pathogenesis of SEA caused by HACEK organisms.
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