Open AccessA case series of brain abscesses: an eleven-year retrospective single center study
Author(s) -
Rami Waked,
Hassan Tarhini,
Hussein Mansour,
Gebrael Saliba,
Nabil Chehata,
Marie Chedid,
Élie Haddad,
Jacques Choucair
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of infection in developing countries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.322
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 2036-6590
pISSN - 1972-2680
DOI - 10.3855/jidc.12816
Subject(s) - medicine , brain abscess , craniotomy , retrospective cohort study , immunosuppression , single center , case series , surgery , abscess , brain biopsy , stereotactic biopsy , biopsy , alternative medicine , pathology
We lack data on the epidemiology and management of brain abscesses in the Middle East. The aim of this study is to report a case series of brain abscesses admitted at a tertiary care center in Lebanon, between January 2008 and December 2018.
Methodology: This retrospective study aimed at determining the demographic data, treatment, and correlations between different studied variables with prognosis of patients that received treatment.
Results: Forty-one patients (30 males) were included with a median age of 37 years (2-85). The analysis showed that the classic triad of fever, headache and neurologic deficit was only present in 12% of patients on admission. The source of infection was contiguous in 36.5%, post surgical in 32%, and distant in 17% of cases. Stereotactic biopsy was performed in 41.5% of patients, and craniotomy in 19.5%. A microorganism was isolated in 63% of patients (26 cases). The most used antibiotics were carbapenems (46%) and glycopeptides (66%). Eighty percent of patient (33) had a good outcome. A worse prognosis was significantly correlated with immunosuppression and multiple cerebral abscesses.
Conclusions: Brain abscess remains a relatively rare condition.