Serratia marcescens spinal epidural abscess formation following acupuncture

Abstract

The formation of spinal epidural abscess following acupuncture is very rare. We herein report the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented with progressive low back pain and fever with a root sign. She underwent surgical decompression, with an immediate improvement of the low back pain. A culture of the epidural abscess grew Serratia marcescens. One year postoperatively, magnetic resonance imaging revealed the almost complete eradication of the abscess. This case is the first case of Serratia marcescens-associated spinal epidural abscess formation secondary to acupuncture. The characteristics of spinal epidural abscess that develop after acupuncture and how to prevent such complications are also discussed. © 2014 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.