Open AccessNot just a ‘simple stroke’
Author(s) -
Wendy Russell,
William F. Taylor,
Gautamanada Ray,
Jane Gravil,
Sylvia Davidson
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
acute medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.14
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1747-4892
pISSN - 1747-4884
DOI - 10.52964/amja.0459
Subject(s) - medicine , brain abscess , abscess , craniotomy , streptococcus milleri , stroke (engine) , weakness , chest pain , surgery , lesion , radiology , streptococcus , engineering , mechanical engineering , biology , bacteria , genetics
A 51-year-old man presenting with left arm weakness and slurred speech was referred to the acute medical team. Admission chest X-ray showed a cavitating lesion, which had not been present 2 weeks earlier. Systemic enquiry elicited a 2 month prodromal illness and back pain. Urgent CT of his head and chest revealed evidence of thoracic discitis spreading anteriorly into a pleural-based lung abscess and an intracerebral abscess causing his neurological deficit. He was transferred for urgent craniotomy and evacuation of a Streptococcus milleri abscess. Following several weeks of neurosurgical care and antibiotics he made a near full recovery.