title: Neurosurgical implications of Pott's puffy tumor in children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pott's puffy tumor (PPT) is rare and usually seen as a complication of frontal sinusitis resulting in subperiosteal abscess of the frontal bone with underlying osteomyelitis. PPT is potentially severe and can lead to life-threatening intracranial complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors present a series of six pediatric patients diagnosed with PPT and intracranial complications between 1999 and 2012. There were five boys and one girl, and the mean age at diagnosis was 11.8 years. All patients presented with frontal swelling, headache, and fever. Two patients had lowered level of consciousness and severe hemodynamic instability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had epidural abscess, and one also presented subdural empyema. Five patients underwent drainage of all associated abscesses, bone resection, and sinusitis treatment. One was treated conservatively with broad-spectrum antibiotics, and no surgical intervention was required. All patients fully recovered their neurologic status, without further complications.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Fernandes Figueira National Institute for Health of Woman, Child and Adolescent, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IFFFiocruz), Av. Rui Barbosa, 716, 22250-020, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, jfsalomao@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: J Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Salomão
authors.forename: Tatiana Protzenko
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Cervante
authors.forename: Antonio R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bellas
authors.forename: Márcia C B
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Boechat
authors.forename: Sheila M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Pone
authors.forename: Marcos V S
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Pone
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de A Pereira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059369:Pott Puffy Tumor / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents