Yao YC, Lin HH, Chou PH, et al. - A retrospective consecutive case series was performed to explore the clinical and radiographic risk factors for residual neurologic deficit in patients with spinal epidural abscess (SEA) after surgical intervention of the thoracic or lumbar spine. Researchers included 53 patients with primary SEA, confirmed by culture or histopathology, in the thoracic or lumbar spine who had undergone posterior-only approach surgery at the hospital between January 2005 and December 2014. They applied neurologic status applying the Frankel grading system preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up. The results of this study showed that age ≥ 70 years, pre-operative cauda equina syndrome, abscess length ≥ 5.5 cm and abscess thickness ≥ 0.8 cm were the most significant preoperative risk factors for residual neurologic deficits after surgery in patients with SEA of the thoracic and lumbar spine.