Background: Spinal epidural abscess, although an uncommon disease, often correlates with a high morbidity owing to significant delay in diagnosis.
Methods: In a prospective 5-year study, the clinical and magnetic resonance (MR) findings, treatment protocols, microbiology, and neurological outcomes were analyzed for 27 patients with spinal epidural abscess.
Results: Patients were typically middle-aged with underlying diabetes and presented with lumbar abscesses. Those undergoing surgical intervention >36 h after the onset of symptoms had poor neurological outcomes.
Conclusion: Early recognition and timely evacuation of spinal abscesses minimized neurological morbidity and potential mortality.
Keywords: Clinical profile; epidural abscess; outcome; spinal epidural abscess.