The use of neuropsychological evaluation in the medical management of subdural empyema.
Subdural empyema is in itself an uncommon complication of infection in childhood and localization of the infection to the parafalcine area is rare. This paper presents a case study of a teenager with subdural empyema resulting from paranasal sinusitis, who presented as a parafalcine syndrome and was treated successfully without neurosurgical intervention. Results of repeat neuropsychological evaluation (premorbid, 17 days into treatment, and after six months), correlated with changes seen on serial CT scanning during treatment and follow up. More importantly, the neuropsychological evaluation was clinically more sensitive than the traditional neurological examination in assessing changes in cortical integrity during the course of recovery. Thus, neuropsychological evaluation proved to be a valuable supplement to the neurological examination in exploring morbidity and assisting in treatment decision making in the management of subdural empyema.
Maertens
P
P
University of South Alabama Medical Center, USA.
Cohen
M
M
Krawiecki
N
N