Spinal ascendant necrosis with endotoxin shock associated to staphylococcus Aureus - case report

Abstract

Bacterial meningitis is rarely complicated by spinal cord involvement in adults. We report a We report a case of Staphylococcus aureus septicemia complicated by meningitis and extensive spinal cord injury, 21-year-old man with tattoos all over the body. The patient's neurological condition worsened within two days, leading to ascending brain stem necrosis and death. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated intramedullary hyperintensity on T2-weighted image. Postmortem microscopic examination confirmed that the extensive spinal cord injury was of ischemic origin, caused by diffuse leptomeningitis and endarteritis and multiple pulmonary micro-abscess and intravascular disseminated disease and neurotoxic shock associated to Staphylococcus Aureus was diagnosed.