{"id":"707588b9-a307-4aa1-8da6-2a7bc5d24a27","slug":"spinal-intramedullary-abscess-due-to-candida-albicans-in-an-immunocompetent-patient-a-rare-case-report","title":"Spinal intramedullary abscess due to <i>Candida albicans</i> in an immunocompetent patient: A rare case report","authors":["Paulo Eduardo Albuquerque Zito Raffa","Rafael Caiado Caixeta Vencio","Andre Costa Corral Ponce","Bruno Pricoli Malamud","Isabela Caiado Vencio","Cesar Cozar Pacheco","Felipe D’Almeida Costa","Paulo Roberto Franceschini","Roger Thomaz Rotta Medeiros","Paulo Henrique Pires Aguiar"],"abstract":"Background: A spinal intramedullary abscess is a rare clinical entity in which patients classically present with a subacute myelopathy and progressive paraplegia, sensory deficits, and/or bowel and bladder dysfunction. We report the second case of spinal intramedullary abscess caused by Candida albicans to ever be published and the first case of its kind to be surgically managed. Case Description: A 44-year-old female presented with severe lumbar pain associated with paraparesis, incontinence, and paraplegia. She reported multiple hospital admissions and had a history of seizures, having already undergone treatment for neurotuberculosis and fungal infection of the central nervous system unsuccessfully. Nevertheless, no laboratory evidence of immunosuppression was identified on further investigation. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a D10-D11, well-circumscribed, intramedullary mass within the conus, which was hypointense on T1-weighted imaging and hyperintense on T2/STIR weighted. The patient underwent surgery for removal and biopsy of the lesion, which provided the diagnosis of an intramedullary abscess caused by C. albicans, a very rare condition with only one case reported in literature so far. Conclusion: C. albicans intramedullary abscess is a very rare clinical entity, especially in immunocompetent patients. We highlight C. albicans as an important etiology that must be considered in differential diagnosis. Critical evaluation of every case, early diagnosis, timely referral and surgical management of the abscess is essential to improve neurological outcome.","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/707588b9-a307-4aa1-8da6-2a7bc5d24a27/featured/hero-1781562332237.png","publishDate":"2021-06-14T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.25259/SNI_435_2021","categories":["Infection","Case Report"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/api/articles/707588b9-a307-4aa1-8da6-2a7bc5d24a27/pdf"}