Cervical epidural abscess mimicking as stroke - report of two cases.

Background: Stroke is a common provisional diagnosis in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with unilateral neurological deficit. Cervical epidural abscess (CEA) may also present clinically with a unilateral neurological deficit.

Objects: To highlight the inherent problems with diagnosing cervical epidural abscess and possible consequences of delay in diagnosis.

Arachnoiditis following caudal epidural injections for the lumbo-sacral radicular pain.

Caudal epidural steroid injection is a very common intervention in treatment of low back pain and sciatica symptoms. Although extensively used, it is not devoid of complications. A few reports of chemical and infective arachnoiditis exist following lumbar epidural anaesthesia, but none following a caudal epidural steroid injection.

Social implications of balloon kyphoplasty: prospective study from a single UK centre.

Purpose: The incidence of osteoporotic fractures is increasing with an ageing population. This has potential consequences for health services, patients and their families. Treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) has been limited to non-surgical measures so far.