Spinal epidural abscess A
spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a collection of pus or inflammatory granulation between the
dura mater and the
vertebral column. Currently the annual incidence rate of SEAs is estimated to be 2.5–3 per 10,000 hospital admissions. Incidence of SEA is on the rise, due to factors such as an aging population, increase in use of invasive spinal instrumentation, growing number of patients with risk factors such as diabetes and intravenous drug use. and the most common location is the
thoracolumbar area, where
epidural space is larger and contains more fat tissue. SEAs are more common in males, and can occur in all ages, although highest prevalence is during the fifth and seventh decades of life. ==References==