title: Gas-producing brain abscess.
abstract: A case of a known psychiatric patient who presented with rapid neurological deterioration is reported. Neuroimaging revealed a gas-producing brain abscess in left parietal lobe with a contiguous focus of infection in the adjacent bone and scalp initiated by obsessive scalp scratching. On complete surgical excision of abscess, followed by culture-based antibiotic therapy, a good neurological recovery was achieved with minimal residual deficits at follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. doc4brains@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Arshad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: Khalid N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Chishti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods*; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013354:Empyema, Subdural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005740:Gases / Q000378:metabolism; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005740:Gases