J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  1998 Oct;27(10):1445-1449.

Cervical Pseudomonas Epidural Abscess after Stellate Ganglion Blocks

• Cheon SW
• Sung JK

Abstract

The pseudomonas spinal epidural abscess is a extremely rare disease. It is well known that early diagnosis and surgical evacuations of the lesions are very important for better treatment results. Two cases of cervical epidural abscess were admitted to our hospital with neck pain, chillness and quadriparesis. One month prior to admission, the two patients underwent stellate ganglion block at an same institution on the same day, to releive the pain in the neck and the scapular area. Antibiotic therapy was initiated immediately and surgical decompression was performed through a posterior approach. Total laminectomy of C4-C7 was done and greenish pus and granulation tissue from anterior epidural space were evacuated. Culture of the pus revealed pseudomonas aeruginosa. In both of these cases, stellate ganglion block was suspected causes of infection. First patient patient recovered completely, but second had severe neurological deficit with quadriparesis.

Keyword

Stellate ganglion block; Pseudomonas; Cervical epidural abscess

MeSH Terms

Decompression, Surgical
Early Diagnosis
Epidural Abscess*
Epidural Space
Granulation Tissue
Humans
Laminectomy
Neck
Neck Pain
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas*
Quadriplegia
Rare Diseases
Stellate Ganglion*
Suppuration