J Korean Neurotraumatol Soc.  2010 Jun;6(1):57-65. 10.13004/jknts.2010.6.1.57.

The Clinical Characteristics of Atraumatic Intracranial Abscess Patients

• Choi DH
• Kim EY
• Kim JM
• Yoo CJ
• Lee U
• Kim Y

• KMID: 2192369
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.13004/jknts.2010.6.1.57

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.

Keyword

Atraumatic; Intracranial abscess; Behavior; Medical history; Pathogen

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Alcohol Drinking
Alcoholics
Bacterial Infections
Brain Abscess
Epidural Abscess
Humans
Medical Records
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Smoke
Smoking
Toxoplasmosis
Smoke

Figure

• 

  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.

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  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).

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