The Clinical Characteristics of Atraumatic Intracranial Abscess Patients

Dae Han Choi; Eun Young Kim; Jae Myung Kim; Chan Jong Yoo; Uhn Lee; Yuhee Kim

doi:10.13004/jknts.2010.6.1.57

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Choi, Kim, Kim, Yoo, Lee, and Kim: The Clinical Characteristics of Atraumatic Intracranial Abscess Patients

Clinical Article

Journal of Korean Neurotraumatology Society 2010; 6(1): 57-65.

Published online: 30 June 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13004/jknts.2010.6.1.57

The Clinical Characteristics of Atraumatic Intracranial Abscess Patients

Dae Han Choi, MD¹, Eun Young Kim, MD, PhD¹, Jae Myung Kim, MD, PhD¹, Chan Jong Yoo, MD, PhD¹, Uhn Lee, MD, PhD¹, Yuhee Kim²

¹Department of Neurosurgery, Gil Hospital, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.

²School of Medicine, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Eun Young Kim, MD, PhD. Department of Neurosurgery, Gil Hospital, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, 1198 Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon 405-760, Korea. Tel: +82-32-460-3304, Fax: +82-32-460-3899, nseykim@gilhospital.com

Received 25 March 2010 Revised 5 April 2010 Accepted 28 May 2010

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate clinical characteristics of atraumatic intracranial abscesses according to analyze the medical records and imaging studies of patients.

Methods

This study is performed with retrospective reviews of medical records of 15 patients which were admitted under the diagnosis as atraumatic intracranial abscess from 2004 to 2009.

Results

The infection entities were 2 epidural abscess, 1 subdural abscess, and 13 brain abscesses. Among them, 8 cases were bacterial infections, 6 unknown organisms, and 1 toxoplasmosis. 14 patients were managed with surgical and medical treatments. 1 patient was treated with medication only. Generally, the outcome was good and no mortality was recorded. According to the results of this study, the preponderance of smoking and alcoholics of intracranial abscesses were suggested.

Conclusion

To diagnose intracranial abscess accurately, more careful listening to the patient's history including smoking, alcohol consumption, and disease is necessarily required. The prognosis of the intracranial abscess would be good if accurate results for pathogens, appropriate usage of antibioticis, and suitable surgical method were done.

Keywords: Atraumatic, Intracranial abscess, Behavior, Medical history, Pathogen

Figures and Tables

FIGURE 1

Preoperative MRI findings. T2 weighted image (A) shows high signal intensity mass around low signal intensity rim and peripheral edema. Enhanced T1 weighted image (B) shows low signal intensity mass with well-enhanced rim.

FIGURE 2

Preoperative MRI shows the ill defined high signal intensity lesion on T2 weighted image (A) and multiple small enhanced masses on enhanced T1 weighted image (B).

TABLE 1

Summary of the patient's history and first presenting symptoms and signs

N: negative, P: positive, COM: chronic otitis media, GCS: Glasgow Coma Scale

TABLE 2

Summary of the patient's imaging characteristics

CT: computerized tomography, MRI: magnetic resonance imaging

TABLE 3

Summary of the patient's laboratory findings

WBC: white blood cell, ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP: C-reactive protein, CT/ST: culture test/sensitivity test, N: negative

TABLE 4

Summary of the patient's treatment and outcome

GOS: Glasgow Outcome Scale, N: negative

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