title: A review of brain abscess surgical treatment--78 years: aspiration versus excision.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The literature regarding surgical treatment of brain abscess was reviewed from 1990 to (and including) 2008 to supplement a previous literature review from 1930 to 1990.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ovid Medline database 1950-2009 with the year range limited to 1990-2009 was used to identify all articles relating to brain abscess. The results were compared with a previously published review from 1930-1990 by the senior author.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The original finding was confirmed that the high mortality from aspiration in the pre-computer tomography era decreased dramatically after computer tomographic scanning became available. In the present review, the mean mortality for aspiration post-1990 was 6.6% for publications with more than five patients. With surgical excision by craniotomy, the mean mortality in the same period was 12.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present review suggests that aspiration may be the first surgical choice in patients with supratentorial parenchymal brain abscesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Newcastle University, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Thiloka Erandathi
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Ratnaike
authors.forename: Suparna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Barbara Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gregson
authors.forename: A David
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Mendelow
mesh_terms: D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011859:Radiography; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends