Intracranial complications resulting from frontal pyocele: case presentation and review of experience in Japan.
A case of subdural empyema resulting from an acute infection of frontal cysts is reported. Urgent surgery was performed to create a right frontal burr hole, followed by an osteoplastic frontal sinusotomy and postoperative chemotherapy. Thus, this intracranial complication was successfully treated with no further sequelae. MRI was useful for clearly revealing a transtentorial herniation and the affected site of the dura mater from which bacterial infection spread intracranially. Review of rhinogenic intracranial complications in Japan shows a dramatic decrease in the mortality rate from the preantibiotics era to the pre-CT-scan era, and also from the pre-CT-scan era to the present CT-scan era. This suggests that CT scan and, more recently, MRI, have indirectly helped to reduce the mortality rate by enabling an earlier and accurate diagnosis.
Yamasoba
T
T
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Kikuchi
S
S
D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications*; D013354:Empyema, Subdural / Q000209:etiology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections