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Brain abscess in childhood

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Abstract

The authors review 10 years' experience in managing brain abscess in childhood: 19 cases were treated in children from 1 to 18 years old. The etiology was rhinogenic in 5 cases, congenital heart disease in 5, hematogenous in 3, traumatic in 3, postoperative in 1, and unknown in 3 cases. Brain abscesses that developed by direct spread were located nearby the source, whereas metastatic abscesses (such as cardiogenic or hematogenous) in most cases spread via the vertebral-basilar system, usually developing in the parieto-occipital regions. Four of the 5 cases with multiple abscesses were cardiogenic and one hematogenous. The most important neurological signs were paresis (10 cases) and cranial nerve involvement (10 cases). Six abscesses were sterile and 6 grew aerobic and 6 anaerobic bacteria. In one case, aerobic as well as anaerobic bacteria were found. Fifteen patients were treated preoperatively with antibiotics. The treatment was operative in 17 cases. In two cases, gravely ill on admission, no surgical treatment was given. The etiology, localization, bacteriology, surgical methods, and results in those cases are discussed.

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Author notes

  1. Francisco Theophilo

    Present address: NeuroRio Clínicas Integradas Ltda., R. Voluntários da Pátria, 445 s/204, 22270, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurochirurgische Klinik, Medizinische Hochschule, D-3000, Hannover 61, Federal Republic of Germany

    Francisco Theophilo, Evangelos Markakis, Lais Theophilo & Hermann Dietz

  2. Hospital São Vicente de Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Francisco Theophilo & Lais Theophilo

Authors
  1. Francisco Theophilo
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  2. Evangelos Markakis
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  3. Lais Theophilo
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  4. Hermann Dietz
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Theophilo, F., Markakis, E., Theophilo, L. et al. Brain abscess in childhood. Child's Nerv Syst 1, 324–328 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00270817

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