Abstract
Spinal cord tissue has a remarkable resistance to infection. An intramedullary abscess is an exceptional complication of infective endocarditis in the post-antibiotic era. We describe the case of a 42-year-old man who presented with fever and cephalea. Two days later, left-side numbness, lack of sphincter control, and a new aortic murmur were noticed. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an 8 ×15-mm intramedullary cervical abscess. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed an aortic valve perforation as a result of infective endocarditis. Conservative management was decided for the intramedullary abscess.
Keywords:
Abscess; aortic valve insufficiency; bacterial; endocarditis; paraparesis; spinal cord diseases; streptococcal infections.
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MeSH terms
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Abscess / diagnosis
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Abscess / drug therapy
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Abscess / microbiology*
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Adult
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Aortic Valve / diagnostic imaging
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Aortic Valve / drug effects
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Aortic Valve / microbiology*
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Aortic Valve / surgery
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Cervical Vertebrae / drug effects
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Cervical Vertebrae / microbiology*
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Cervical Vertebrae / pathology
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Echocardiography, Doppler, Color
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Echocardiography, Transesophageal
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Endocarditis, Bacterial / complications
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Endocarditis, Bacterial / diagnosis
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Endocarditis, Bacterial / microbiology*
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Endocarditis, Bacterial / therapy
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Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation
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Humans
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Male
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Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
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Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
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Spinal Cord Diseases / diagnosis
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Spinal Cord Diseases / drug therapy
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Spinal Cord Diseases / microbiology*
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Streptococcal Infections / complications
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Streptococcal Infections / diagnosis
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Streptococcal Infections / microbiology*
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Streptococcal Infections / therapy
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Treatment Outcome