A Case Presenting with a Paraspinal Muscle Abscess Complicated by Suspected Iodoform Poisoning During Treatment

A 76-year-old woman presented to our hospital with scar contracture due to a 70-year-old burn injury extending from her left thigh to her back.Prior to her visit, she had experienced ulceration around the burn scar area for one year.We diagnosed this condition as a paraspinal muscle abscess and surgically treated it.On the tenth day after the operation, the patient's level of consciousness decreased.The discontinuation of iodoform gauze due to possible iodoform poisoning improved the level of consciousness.The patient was cured with negative pressure wound therapy and additional surgery.Paraspinal muscle abscesses are a type of pyogenic myositis.The diagnosis is difficult because of the diverse causes and nonspecific symptoms.In addition, iodoform poisoning is known to cause psychoneurotic effects such as somnolence and agitation.This case suggests that these two diseases may be completely different during treatment.This suggests that surgical incision is the optimal treatment for paraspinal abscesses in patients with advanced symptoms.In addition, iodoform poisoning is a rare cause of unconsciousness, and discontinuation of the causative agents often improves the symptoms.