Epidural abscess of the cervical spine: case report and literature review

A 51-year-old fisherman with a centro-blastic centrocytic Grade 4B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma only partially responsive to combination chemotherapy over a period of 6 months received an endogenous bone marrow transplant following intensive chemotherapy. His white cell and platelet counts remained low post-operatively, requiring a number of transfusions and continuous antibiotic cover. Two weeks after the transplant he became febrile and developed neck pain which became gradually more severe. Plain radiographs of the cervical spinewere normal, as was an isotope bone scan, but the pain continued to increase.

Duke Scholars

Author John Wiley Williams Jr. Medicine, General Internal Medicine