[Intracranial collections of pus. A review of 100 cases].
BACKGROUND
In recent decades, important scientific advances have been made, leading to modification of the diagnosis and the treatment of intracranial collections of pus (ICP).


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the changes in various clinicopathological aspects of ICP during the twenty years studied.


METHODS
We present a retrospective analysis of 100 cases of ICP diagnosed between 1979 and 1998 in the Hospital General de Galicia. We divided the patients into two groups: A (1979-1988) and B (1989-1998), and analyzed the similarities and differences between them.


RESULTS
In these two decades, there was a predominance of men over women (4/1) ENT infections (30/100) and surgical-trauma (25/100) were the commonest causes. The diagnosis was established during the week the symptoms started in 40% of group A and 58.1% of group B. The most frequent site for abscesses was in the frontal lobes (28.5%) and temporal lobes (26.1%) and was closely related to the origin of the infection. Culture was positive in 45% of group A and in 60.3% of group B. The commonest micro-organisms found were Streptococcus (38%) and Staphylococcus (26%). More anaerobes were observed in the second decade. The most usual surgical treatment was excision (86%). Mortality was 33.3% in the first decade and 5.4% in the second.


CONCLUSIONS
Technological improvements permit earlier, more reliable radiological and micro-biological diagnosis as well as lower morbi-mortality figures for ICP.
González-García
J
J
Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital General de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, España.
Gelabert
M
M
Pravos
A G
AG
Villa
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D013354:Empyema, Subdural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
Colecciones purulentas intracraneales. Revisión de 100 casos.