Secondary abscess arising in a craniopharyngioma.
An abscess arising in a craniopharyngioma is rare, but has potentially high mortality and morbidity. Diagnosis is difficult because clinical and neuroradiological characteristics are not clearly defined. We report a patient with a pituitary abscess concomitant with a craniopharyngioma and discuss the pathophysiological mechanism. We discuss the previous five reports and suggest that abscesses with craniopharyngioma remain challenging clinical entities. We speculate that inflammation is a response to components of the ruptured epithelium of the cyst, thereby providing an explanation of the mechanism of abscess formation.
Qi
Songtao
S
Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shiliugang Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China. sjwkmarco@126.com
Peng
Junxiang
J
Pan
Jun
J
Lu
Yuntao
Y
Fan
Jun
J
D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery