Brain stem abscesses in childhood

Child's Nervous System : ChNS : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
T SuzerK Tahta

Abstract

Solitary brain stem abscess is a rare condition with high mortality and morbidity. These lesions were considered to be invariably fatal before 1974 when advanced diagnostic tools were not available. Recently, the diagnosis and prognosis of brain stem abscesses have been modified by the introduction of modern radiological tools, and several patients with a favorable outcome have been reported since then. Because the pons is the most common site of the abscesses, involvement of the sixth and seventh nerves is frequent. The midbrain is the second most likely location, and medullary abscesses are distinctly rare. Treatment of a brain stem abscess includes medical therapy alone, open microsurgical intervention, or stereotactic aspiration. We report a case of a 7-year-old girl with a solitary brain stem abscess. Her neurological examination revealed involvement of the cranial nerves and pyramidal tracts. Microsurgical exposure and aspiration of the abscess resulted in rapid improvement in her neurological condition and radiological resolution of the lesion. We discuss this uncommon case to draw attention to the importance of early diagnosis and adequate treatment, and we review the relevant literature.

References

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Citations

Jun 4, 2008·Neurosurgical Focus·James L FrazierGeorge I Jallo
Nov 27, 2010·Journal of Clinical Neuroscience : Official Journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia·M SteinM Oertel
Jul 4, 2015·Child's Nervous System : ChNS : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery·Ju-Hwi KimSeul-Kee Kim
Nov 26, 2009·Neurosurgery·Yu-Gang JiangYong Peng
Apr 10, 2014·São Paulo Medical Journal = Revista Paulista De Medicina·Pedro Tadao Hamamoto Filho, Marco Antonio Zanini
May 31, 2006·Child's Nervous System : ChNS : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery·P LongattiV Baratto
Jun 1, 2011·Child's Nervous System : ChNS : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery·Houssine GhannaneSaïd Ait Benali
Jun 7, 2020·Child's Nervous System : ChNS : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery·Myron Rolle, Katie P Fehnel
Aug 1, 2020·Child's Nervous System : ChNS : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery·Łukasz AntkowiakMarek Mandera
Sep 22, 2021·Neurosurgical Review·Ilke Bayzıt KocerGulgun Sengul

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