Spinal Epidural Abscess Successfully Treated with Percutaneous, Computed Tomography-guided, Needle Aspiration and Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Surgical decompression and antibiotic therapy are the treatments of choice for patients with spinal epidural abscesses. Selected patients may be treated nonsurgically. Rarely, percutaneous drainage of the abscess has been reported to be helpful. Our case suggests that percutaneous, computed tomography-guided, needle aspiration might be a rational alternative to surgical decompression for treatment of spinal epidural abscesses.