Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 5, 2025
06:02
Posterior Approach for Debridement of the Psoas Abscess
Published on: March 2, 2020
11.4K
Gas-Forming Psoas Abscess Secondary to Lumbar Spondylodiscitis
Yi Xiang Tan1, Wan Lye Cheong1, Teck Siong Fong1
1Orthopaedic Surgery, Putrajaya Hospital, Putrajaya, MYS.
Cureus
|May 13, 2021
Summary
Occult spine infection, like spondylodiscitis, can be missed due to subtle symptoms. This case highlights a severe Escherichia coli infection presenting as lower back pain and gas emphysema, leading to fatal outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Lower back pain is a frequent clinical complaint, often musculoskeletal.
- Occult spinal infections, such as spondylodiscitis, are frequently misdiagnosed due to insidious onset and nonspecific symptoms.
Observation:
- A 63-year-old diabetic woman presented with altered mental status, nausea, and vomiting after a fall with worsening lower back pain.
- Radiographs revealed extensive gas shadows, and CT confirmed L2 compression fracture with L1/L2 spondylodiscitis, a psoas abscess, and subcutaneous emphysema.
Findings:
- Escherichia coli was identified in intra-operative pus and blood cultures.
- The patient developed multi-organ failure and succumbed to the infection.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering serious spinal infections in patients with persistent back pain, especially those with risk factors like diabetes.
- Prompt diagnosis and aggressive management are crucial for improving outcomes in spondylodiscitis with associated complications.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Pneumothorax-II
555
Pneumothorax is a medical condition defined by the buildup of air in the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall. This accumulation of air can lead to partial or complete lung collapse, resulting in a range of clinical manifestations. Understanding the clinical presentation and effective management strategies is crucial for healthcare professionals in providing timely and appropriate care to individuals with pneumothorax.
Clinical Manifestations:
Clinical Manifestations:
555
01:26Pneumothorax-I
686
A pneumothorax is a condition where air builds up in the space between the lung and the chest wall, causing the lung to collapse. This condition arises when air enters the space between the parietal and visceral pleura, disrupting the negative pressure essential for lung inflation. This can lead to a partial or complete collapse of the lung.
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
686
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
1.4K
The pathophysiology of pneumonia involves the following steps:
1.4K
01:22Appendicitis-I: Introduction
945
The appendix, a small, narrow, blind tube extending from the inferior part of the cecum, is widely regarded as a vestigial organ, having lost much of its original function through evolution. Despite its diminished role, the appendix can become inflamed, a condition known as appendicitis.
Etiology: Appendicitis can arise from various causes, primarily rooted in the obstruction of the appendix lumen. Factors contributing to this obstruction include fecal accumulation, lymphoid hyperplasia and, in...
Etiology: Appendicitis can arise from various causes, primarily rooted in the obstruction of the appendix lumen. Factors contributing to this obstruction include fecal accumulation, lymphoid hyperplasia and, in...
945