• J M Malinovsky, Y Péréon, O Bouchot, and M Pinaud.
• Service d'anesthésie réanimation chirurgicale, Hôtel-Dieu, centre hospitalier universitaire, 44093 Nantes, France. jeanmarc.malinovsky@chu-nantes.fr
• Ann Fr Anesth Reanim. 2002 Dec 1; 21 (10): 807-11.

AbstractWe described a case of discitis and meningitis following spinal anaesthesia for transurethral resection of the prostate. The patient received antibiotics for a month before surgery, because of Klebsiella prostatitis. Spinal anaesthesia was performed in L3-L4 interspace by using 22G Quincke needle. Bacteriaemia occurred during the first postoperative hours. Ten days after spinal anaesthesia, patient suffered from lumbar pain, exacerbated by vertebral percussion, and motor weakness within lower limb, which was marked on right side. MRI examination showed L3-L4 discitis with psoas abcess in regard, and epiduritis marked around L3 right spinal root. CSF examination confirmed meningitis but no bacteria was found. Antibiotics were administered over a 6 weeks period, and then patient discharged from hospital without neurological sequellae. Infectious discitis related to disk puncture during spinal anaesthesia and postoperative bacteriaemia was likely in our patient.

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