Background: Complicating events and unusual presentations associated with intracranial abscess are rare but potentially fatal conditions. This study was undertaken to shed light on the unusual complications and presentations of intracranial abscess treated at a single institution.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 116 cases of intracranial abscesses that were treated at our institution over the last 10 years and identified 11 (9.4%) cases with unusual complications.
Results: These complications consisted of (1) rupture within the abscess, (2) hemorrhage into the abscess, (3) hemispheric infarction due to ICA thrombosis, (4) acute visual loss due to pituitary abscess, (5) acute neurologic deterioration due to rapid gas formation within the abscess, (6) acute hydrocephalus, (7) trigeminal neuralgia, (8) fungal abscess developing secondary to intracranial extension of a temporal bone tumor, (9) Cryptococcus abscess with different morphology, (10) pontine infarction, and (11) sigmoid sinus thrombosis. Sinusitis accompanied 8 (72.7%) of the cases, and there were 5 (45.4%) mortalities. Culture results were unyielding in 4 patients, whereas Streptococcus species were identified in 4 and fungi in the rest.
Conclusion: Intracranial abscesses and their complications still continue to be challenging entities in the neurosurgical practice. Our experience may provide an informational source for those who are taking care of patients with intracranial abscess.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.surneu.2007.03.011 | DOI Listing |
Undersea Hyperb Med
January 2025
The term "intracranial abscess" (ICA) includes cerebral abscess, subdural empyema, and epidural empyema, which share many diagnostic and therapeutic similarities and, frequently, very similar etiologies. Infection may occur and spread from a contiguous infection such as sinusitis, otitis, mastoiditis, or dental infection; hematogenous seeding; or cranial trauma. Brain abscess usually results from predisposing factors such as HIV infection, immunosuppressive drug treatment, surgery, adjacent infection (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Infect Dis
January 2025
Department of Oncology, General Hospital of Western Theatre Command, No. 270, Tianhui Road, Rongdu Avenue, Jinniu District, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, People's Republic of China.
Background: Nocardia are widely present in nature and considered opportunistic pathogens. They can result in hematogenous spread infection through the ruptured skin or respiratory tract when the host's immune system is compromised. Currently, 119 species of Nocardia have been identified, with 54 capable of causing infections in humans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfect Drug Resist
January 2025
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangshan People's Hospital, Quzhou, People's Republic of China.
Hypervirulent (hvKp) has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Diabetes and serotype K1 or K2 are risk factors for invasive liver abscess syndrome including liver abscesses and the metastatic complications such as bacteremia, meningitis, endophthalmitis, and necrotizing fasciitis. Simultaneous infections of the liver, lungs, prostate, brain, and eyes are exceedingly rare.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Department of Neurosurgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, JPN.
Traumatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage from skull base fractures increases the risk of bacterial meningitis, which is associated with a high mortality rate in adults, and commonly results in severe neurological outcomes. While most cases of CSF leakage occur within three months post-injury and generally resolve spontaneously, delayed-onset meningitis remains a challenging complication. Herein, we report a rare case of severe bacterial meningitis with an intraventricular abscess one year following a frontal skull base fracture, despite no CSF leak.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChilds Nerv Syst
December 2024
Department of Neurosurgery, Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are angiographically occult vascular lesions that present with a variety of neurological symptoms, including seizures, features of raised intracranial pressure and focal neurological deficits. In extremely rare circumstances, CCMs have presented with concomitant brain abscess formation. To date, five cases have previously been reported, the majority of which have affected patients aged 16 years or older.
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