Gas-Forming Psoas Abscess Secondary to Lumbar Spondylodiscitis

Lower back pain is a common presentation in clinical practice. Although most are musculoskeletal in nature, occult spine infection such as spondylodiscitis is commonly missed due to its insidious onset and non-specific symptoms. We report a case of a 63-year-old diabetic woman who presented to our institution’s emergency department with altered mental status, nausea, and vomiting. She had a fall one month prior with persistent lower back-pain of increasing intensity. Initial laboratory data revealed an elevated leukocyte count with neutrophil predominance. Plain radiographs showed extensive gas shadows over the chest wall, abdomen, left thigh, and left knee. CT scan revealed L2 compression fracture with spondylodiscitis at L1/L2, left psoas abscess, and extensive subcutaneous emphysema. Open abscess drainage with extensive wound debridement was performed. Intra-operative pus, as well as blood cultures, yielded Escherichia coli. Unfortunately, the patient succumbed to the infection on the seventh day of admission secondary to multi-organ failure.