Intramedullary spinal cord abscess presentation which is mimicking spinal tumor: A rare case

Intramedullary spinal cord abscess (ISCA) is extraordinarly a rare infectious disease which can mimick spinal cord tumor with high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of ISCA is very tricky and time consuming. 3-year-old boy presented to his physician with agitation, limited neck motions, progressive weaknesses of arm and leg, and urine, feces retention. A contrast enhanced MRI of the cervical spine revealed an intramedullary mass. The mass was identified to be an abscess during surgery and abscess was evacuated and irrigated completely with myelotomy. Culture of the abscess material showed meticilline sensitive Stapylococcus aureus. Patient showed improvement in his neurologic and sphincter deficits. Cervical intramedullary spinal cord abscess is a rare infectious disease of spinal cord which can cause permanent neurologic deficits without early diagnosis, wheras if it is diagnosed, and treated early this can prevent complications. So ISCA should kept in mind in patients who presents with spinal mass.