Spontaneous Posterior Subdural Pyogenic Escherichia coli Abscess Secondary to Lumbar Spondylodiscitis

Abstract

Pyogenic subdural spinal collections are rare but an important pathology to recognise and manage appropriately. We report the case of a 56-year-old female who developed a posterior subdural spinal collection associated with local discitis. There was no direct communication between the infected disc and subdural space, and the collection was located posteriorly within the subdural space which makes this case all the more unusual. We discuss the need for spinal subdural collections to be considered as a differential in patients with back pain and lower limb neurology (especially when there is a known spinal infective focus), the importance of careful interpretation of imaging, and the pathophysiological mechanisms and organisms known to cause spinal subdural collections.