Cerebellar aspergillosis: case report and literature review.
OBJECTIVE
An unusual, but not unique, case of cerebellar aspergillosis associated with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for breast cancer is presented.


METHODS
A 45-year-old woman with breast cancer underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. She developed a cerebellar aspergillosis abscess that was treated successfully with two surgical resections.


METHODS
After removal of pus and the abscess wall, the patient received local application of amphotericin B (AmB). She received AmB 1 mg/kg/d for 3 months and itraconazole 100 mg/kg/d for 1 year. After 3 months of AmB treatment, magnetic resonance imaging revealed that disease had not recurred.


CONCLUSIONS
In cases of central nervous system aspergillosis, to increase the therapeutic efficiency, AmB can also be applied to the abscess cavity. Computed tomographic and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging scans play an important role in establishing early diagnosis in high-risk, immunocompromised patients.
Erdogan
Ersin
E
Department of Neurosurgery, Gulhane Military Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. ersinerdogan@usa.net
Beyzadeoglu
Murat
M
Arpaci
Fikret
F
Celasun
Bülent
B
D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B