Discitis and Epidural Abscess After Dental Extraction in a Pediatric Patient

Abstract

Neck pain is a relatively common pediatric complaint. Most is of benign etiology. We present an unusual case of epidural abscess with associated discitis in the cervical spine of a 12-year-old after a dental extraction. This potentially dangerous complication was diagnosed before neurological complications developed and was successfully treated with antibiotics alone, preventing the need for surgery. An extensive search of the literature has revealed only 5 cases of epidural abscess secondary to dental sepsis, and to the author's knowledge, this is the first reported case in the pediatric population. We present the case and a brief review of the literature on this subject.