Acute spinal epidural abscess is characterized by acute pyogenic infection of the spinal
apidural space from the sites of skin, internal organs or verlebral body itself. The skin
infections such as furunculosis or impetigo, often trivial, may permit seeding of the
,jpinal epidural areas.
A 51-years-old female leprosy patient with a twelve-year history of anesthetic ulcerai
ion on lateral aspect of left foot was acutely developed high fever, general weakness
and neurologic symptoms with bach pairs, paralysis of lower legs, anesthesia and
voiding difficulty. Diagnosis was confirmed by clinical feature, characteristic histologic,
bacteriologic, neurologic, roentgenologic and operative findings as acute spinal epidural
abscess at midthoracic (T7) level. She was treated with neurosurgery and parenteral
administration of high doses of antibiotics (Penicilline, gentamicin), resultant with malted
improvement of clinical and neurologic signs and later availabilily with wheel chair
ambulation about 50 days after therapy.
This complicated case was assumed to be spinal epidural involvement secondary to
ascending infectio of foot ulceration in leprosy patient.
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