METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS EPIDURAL ABSCESS AFTER TRANSFORAMINAL EPIDURAL STEROID INJECTION Pain Physician

From Cleveland Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio, and University Anesthesiologists Inc, Cleveland, Ohio. Address Correspondence: Abdallah Kabbara, MD, Cleveland Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 E-mail:draikabbara@yahoo.com Support:There was no external funding in preparation of this manuscript Conflict of Interest: None Transforaminal epidural steroid injections are provided frequently for patients with lumbar radiculopathy, having demonstrated efficacy and safety. We present a patient who developed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidural abscess 11 days after a transforaminal epidural steroid injection. The abscess required surgical intervention and intravenous vancomycin. Fortunately, the patient made a full recovery, and continues to do well one year later. The incidence, etiology and treatment of epidural injection-related infections are reviewed.

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