Reversal of tetraparesis due to staphylococcal cervical spondylodiscitis associated with anterior epidural abscess after conservative treatment

Sirs: We were greatly interested in the short illustrated review article by M. Turgut [4] entitled “Complete recovery of acute paraplegia due to pyogenic thoracic spondylodiscitis with an epidural abscess”. It presents a case of staphylococcal spinal epidural abscess with excellent outcome after surgical treatment. We want to report another patient with the same diagnosis and outcome, who underwent a conservative therapeutic approach. A 58 year old febrile man was admitted with an asymmetrical pure motor flaccid tetraparesis that had developed over 2 days. His past medical history was unremarkable. A skin abscess of the left gluteal region due to intramuscular injections was observed. Proper investigation excluded any factor correlated with immunodeficiency. At the initial neurological examination non symmetric pure motor flaccid tetraparesis was found. MRI of the spine showed discitis–osteomyelitis of C5–