Comparing outcomes of early, late, and non-surgical management of intraspinal abscess.

•Intraspinal abscess is a rare disease not easily studied in a randomized setting.•This is the largest study of this rare disease to our knowledge (>10,000 patients).•The prevalence of ISA more than doubled between 2003–2012.•Neurologic deficits appear to drive earlier surgical intervention.•Costs and LOS were decreased when surgery was performed in the first 48hours.