SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.39 issue4Control of Focus in front of a Bud of Cholera. Matanzas 2014Fibular osteotomy, new surgical technique in the painful genu varum: procedure and two-case presentation author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Journal

Article

Indicators

  • Have no cited articlesCited by SciELO

Related links

  • Have no similar articlesSimilars in SciELO

Share


Revista Médica Electrónica

On-line version ISSN 1684-1824

Abstract

MESA BARRERA, Yoany; HERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ, Tania Elena  and  PARADA BARROSO, Yanneris. Compressive acute myelopathy by pulmonary abscess. A case report. Rev.Med.Electrón. [online]. 2017, vol.39, n.4, pp.957-965. ISSN 1684-1824.

Myelopathies are a heterogeneous group of pathological processes that directly or indirectly affect the spinal cord. They are rare and can be produced by different causes and affectation pathways leading to major consequences and high disability. A case of acute compressive myelopathy triggered by a lung abscess as unusual cause and production mechanism is described. It is the case of a man, aged 48 years, with a clinical history and symptoms of acute onset of flaccid paraparesis and asymmetric osteotendinous hyporeflexia of lower limbs, with right predominance, dorsal sensitive level at D4, and pain at percussion in D3-D6 dorsal spinal processes.  Blood, immune and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies were irrelevant, but showing indirect signs of infection. Chest radiography showed the presence of the right primary lung abscess and spinal cord involvement was confirmed by performing dorsal medullar magnetic resonance (MRI). The patient had poor response to parenteral steroids until antibiotic therapy began, gradually and with rehabilitation support. After three months, other non-comprehensive etiologies were studied and ruled out. Acute myelopathies represent a heterogeneous group of disorders with different etiologies and production mechanisms. The study evidenced a lung abscess with spinal cord involvement as a cause, so it should be considered in the extensive list of differential diagnoses.

Keywords : lung abscess; compressive myelopathy; magnetic resonance.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )

 

Creative Commons License All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License