title: Long-term survival following treatment of multiple supra- and infratentorial aspergillus brain abscesses.
abstract: Aspergillus brain abscess is a rare but frequently fatal disease. Despite the scarcity of reported survivors, a combination of medication and surgical treatment might be effective. We report a 37-year-old man who developed multiple aspergillus brain abscesses after severe bacterial pneumonia. The following strategy was used to treat the patient: diagnostic puncture of one of the abscesses, long-term treatment with medication, excision of chronic granuloma in the occipital lobe and fourth ventricle, surgical treatment of the hydrocephalus. Following various surgical and antifungal treatments, the patient survived. Nearly three years after discharge, he still is in good physical condition and has a moderate neurologic deficit. Only 36 patients have been reported to have survived longer than three months after receiving treatment for brain aspergillosis. A course of medication in combination with various surgical procedures was required to achieve a successful outcome in this otherwise fatal disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Maribor Teaching Hospital, Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bunc
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vorsic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001234:Aspergillus niger; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020546:Fourth Ventricle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D020953:Neuroaspergillosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011677:Punctures; D012086:Reoperation; D017524:Slovenia; D017741:Survivors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000666:Amphotericin B