Bacterial brain abscesses: an evaluation of 96 cases.
OBJECTIVE
Although the decline of the morbidity and mortality in recent years, brain abscess is still one of the most important problems in Neurosurgery.


METHODS
Ninety-six patients with brain abscess are analysed retrospectively, that treated between 1988 and 2001, according to age, the clinical symptoms, etiologic factors, infecting organisms, prognostic factors, localization, diagnostic and treatment methods and outcome.


RESULTS
Seventy-two patients treated with aspiration (streotactic aspiration in 12 cases), 14 patients with excision. Ten patients treated medically alone. Seven patients in the aspiration group and one patient in the excision group were died. Cure without any morbidity obtained in 55 patients. A significant correlation determined with initial neurologic grade, meningismus, high fever (>38.50), leucocytosis (>20.000/mm3) and mortality. There were no significant correlation the age groups and outcome, treatment groups and location of abscess, period of treatment, number of abscess, outcome according to GOS and factor, treatment period and received antibiotic.


CONCLUSIONS
In appropriate cases, medical treatment can be successful alone but surgery, aspiration, is gold standard for brain abscesses. In that way, definite diagnosis is obtained and pathogen is identified and cure is obtained in a short time.
Hakan
Tayfun
T
Neurosurgery Department, Haydarpaşa Numune Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. tayfunhakan@yahoo.com
Ceran
Nurgül
N
Erdem
Ilknur
I
Berkman
Mehmet Zafer
MZ
Göktaş
Paşa
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone