title: Cerebral abscess after neuro-vascular embolization: Own experience and review of the literature.
abstract: Cerebral abscesses are a rare complication after therapeutic neuro-endovascular procedures.
  
  
  
  The aim of this article is to report a case of cerebral abscess after the endovascular embolization of a cerebral aneurysm and to discuss and review all the cases of cerebral abscess secondary to neurovascular embolization described in the literature up to now.
  
  
  
  A 40-year-old female patient was treated using an endovascular embolization for a ruptured aneurysm of the basilar artery tip. After 2 months she presented with a cerebellar abscess. Antibiotic therapy was started, and a surgical drainage of the collection was performed, with a favorable postoperative outcome. Twelve other cases were reported in the literature, in five cases secondary to the treatment of a cerebral aneurysm, in six cases secondary to a cerebral arterio-venous malformation (AVM) and in one case secondary to a dural arterio-venous fistula (DAVF). The pathophysiology and risk factors of cerebral abscess formation are discussed in detail.
  
  
  
  The risk of cerebral abscesses after neuro-endovascular embolization is not negligible, and a growing number of patients affected by this complication may be expected in the near future because of the spreading of neuro-endovascular techniques. The role of prophylactic antibiotic therapy in specific subgroups of patients is still debated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. giulia.cossu@chuv.ch.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cossu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messerer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000209:etiology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Cerebral abscess; Cerebral aneurysm; Cerebral arterio-venous malformation; Dural arterio-venous fistula; Embolization; Infectious complication