Zafar lqbal, Muhammed Yasin, Shahid Rafique, Muhammed Afzal.
Treatment of Brain abscess.
Pak J Neurol Jan ;4(1):42-6.

A study of fifty cases of brain abscess is presented, main emphasis being on treatment, morbidity and mortality. Results have been compared with other series. Material and Methods: This study is confined to patients suffering from brain abscess. 50 patients were treated over last 5 years. Cases of ventriculitis not associated with brain abscess and cases of subdural empyema have been excluded. Patients whose CT appearances were not typical of brain abscess but revealed pus on aspiration are included in the study. Conclusion: A brain abscess should be suspected in cases of increasing intracranial pressure combined with focal neurological signs or epileptic seizures, even with no apparent sign of infection. CT scan with contrast enhancement is the main diagnositc procedure. It is recommended that CT scan be performed before lumbar puncture in those patients with associated medical ear disease trauma or sinusitis. Aspiration is recommended as surgical procedure of choice for most superficial, unilocular abscesses of non-traumatic origin. Excision should be used for multiloculated, thick-walled abscesses and also for those due to retained foreign bodies. A small deep seated abscess should be treated conservatively and same is true for multiple small abscesses. Prevention and aggressive treatment of predisposing conditions, better CT facilities, familiarity of general practitioners with this serious illness and with the need of immediate referral to a neurosurgical center, are some of the factors which may improve the outcome in this serious illness.

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