Cerebral Abscess
Quick Reference
A cerebral abscess is a collection of pus that occupies space in the brain. It is fatal if untreated and requires immediate hospitalization.
Detailed Information
A cerebral abscess is caused by infection that spreads to the brain. The infection causes inflammation and kills brain tissue. The dead tissue then collects with other cells and microorganisms in the brain to form a mass encapsulated by a membrane. The mass swells, and brain pressure increases. The increased pressure, in turn, causes more damage to brain tissue.
There are many possible sources of the infection causing the abscess. Chronic ear and sinus infections together cause more than one-third of all cerebral abscesses. Injury can also lead to abscess: compound fracture can leave a piece of bone or foreign tissue in the brain that can become an abscess even 20 or 30 years after the initial injury. Mastoiditis (skull infection), skin infections, congenital heart disease, lung abscess, empyema, endocarditis and bronchiectasis can also cause abscesses to form. In some cases of cerebral abscesses, the underlying cause is not determinable.
Symptoms may develop suddenly or gradually (over a period of two weeks or less). Once they appear, they will grow progressively worse.
Symptoms are similar to those of brain tumor, including headache; seizures; muscle weakness; loss of sensory perception (including vision); stiff or aching neck, shoulders and back; fever; drowsiness; confusion; nausea. Headaches are the most frequent initial symptom. Headaches obviously have many possible causes, but if a child with congenital cyanotic heart disease has an unexplained headache, abscess is a probable cause.
Treatment/Prevention
Cerebral abscess is fatal if untreated. It requires immediate hospitalization and life support may also be necessary.
The patient will first be given medication to bring the inflammation and edema under control. The patient will also be given penicillin or other drugs depending on the bacteria suspected to be causing the infection.
If medication fails to bring the infection under control, and pressure is still increasing in the brain, surgery is required. The preferred surgical method is primary total excision, the complete removal of the abscess. This method depends, however, on the abscess being fully encapsulated in the membrane and near the surface of the brain. If that is not possible, the physician will drain the abscess and take a culture of the fluid. That will provide more information about the bacteria in the abscess so the physician can prescribe the appropriate medication. In this second method, the physician can follow the progress of the abscess with CT scans. If the abscess is particularly deep, the physician may inject antibiotics directly into the abscess.
Even with treatment, the mortality rate is ten percent.
Last updated: 22-Jun-01
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
Interact on Body1 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Discuss this topic with others.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
