Subdural empyema as a rare complication of sinonasal infection: a case report and review of literature (original) (raw)
Related papers
Subdural empyema secondary to sinus infection in children
Child's Nervous System, 2009
Objective To evaluate the impact, on morbidity and mortality, of aggressive surgical management of subdural empyema of sinus origin in children. Method The authors conducted a retrospective review of 20 children admitted between 2000-2007 to Alder Hay Children Hospital and The Walton centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery for subdural empyema secondary to sinus infection. Clinical presentation, duration of symptoms, radiological investigations, surgical treatment and post-operative outcome were evaluated. Results Outcome was favourable in 19 cases. In four cases, there were re-accumulation requiring surgical evacuation, four patients experienced post-operative seizures but were seizure-free at follow-up. There was only one mortality in the series. Conclusion Subdural empyema secondary to sinus infection, although uncommon, it could be associated with a relative high morbidity and mortality rate. Early aggressive surgical and medical management with drainage of intracranial or sinus collections and antibiotics therapy lead to a low mortality or morbidity rate and good clinical outcome.
Rapidly developing subdural empyema in an adult with sinusitis: A neurosurgical threat alert
Asian journal of neurosurgery, 2018
Subdural empyema (SDE) is collection of pus in the potential space between the dura and arachnoid layers of the meninges. Leading causes of SDE are sinonasal and otomastoid infections. Commonly affecting patients in the second and third decades, SDE could have a fulminant course with immediate complications and delayed morbidities including hydrocephalus, focal deficits, and epilepsy.
Frontal sinusitis complicated by a brain abscess and subdural empyema
Radiology Case Reports
A 49-year-old male was brought to the Emergency Department after being found unresponsive. The patient had multiple seizures and was intubated in the prehospital setting. A computed tomography scan showed bilateral paranasal sinus disease, and magnetic resonance imaging showed a right frontal abscess and subdural empyema. Neurosurgery took the patient to the operating room, performed a craniotomy, and drained a large amount of purulent fluid. He was subsequently discharged for acute rehabilitation. Clinicians should consider complicated frontal sinusitis, especially in the undifferentiated patient presenting with neurologic deficits and signs or symptoms of sinus disease.
Non-Traumatic Pneumocephalus and Sub-Dural Empyema as a Complication of Chronic Sinusitis
Cureus, 2019
Infectious sinusitis is extremely common in children, and persistent infection can lead to many complications. The most dangerous and commonly reported complications are intracranial. These intracranial complications include pneumocephalus, cerebral abscess, subdural empyema, meningitis, cellulitis, orbital abscess, and cavernous sinus thrombosis. Pneumocephalus is the presence of air in the cranium and sometimes it can lead to intracranial infection and localized pus collection in the potential space between meninges. Herein, we report a case of a 12-year-old girl who presented to a pediatric emergency in a confused and disoriented state. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis provided a picture of bacterial meningitis, but her CT scan showed pneumocephalus and subdural empyema. This case report will help clinicians overcome this diagnostic challenge using the appropriate imaging and treatment modalities to prevent neurological sequelae.
Neurosurgery, 1999
OBJECTIVE A N D IMPORTANCE: Infratentorial empyema, pituitary abscess, and septic cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis are all rare and potentially lethal con ditions. The occurrence of all three in a single patient has not previously been described. W e present such a case occurring in a young, otherwise healthy man. C LIN IC A L PRESENTATION: A 26-year-old man w ith a rem ote history of sinusitis developed rapidly progressive headache, fever, right eye pain, swelling, proptosis, and visual im pairm ent. M agnetic resonance imaging demonstrated diffuse pansinusitis, including sphenoid sinusitis, and ex tension of inflam m ation and infection into the adjacent cavernous si nuses, pituitary gland, and posterior fossa. INTERVENTIO N: Urgent drainage of the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses was performed; pus was not identified. The patient continued to deteriorate clinically with worsening of visual acuity. Computed tomography of the head performed the next day revealed worsening hydrocephalus and an enlarging posterior fossa subdural empyema. Urgent ventricular drainage and evacuation of the empyema was performed, and subsequently, the patient's clinical course improved. The microbiology results revealed alpha hemolytic streptococcus and coagulase-negative staphylococcus species. The patient survived but during the follow-up period had a blind right eye and pituitary insufficiency. C O N C L U S IO N : Paranasal sinusitis can have devastating intracranial se quelae. Involvem ent of the adjacent pituitary gland and cavernous sinuses can result in serious neurological m orbidity or m ortality, and retrograde spread of infection through the basal venous system can result in subdural or parenchymal brain involvem ent. A high index of suspicion and aggres sive medical and surgical treatm ent are crucial for patient survival, but the m orbidity rate remains high. O u r patient survived but lost anterior pituitary function and vision in his right eye.
Extensive subgaleal abscess and epidural empyema in a patient with acute frontal sinusitis
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi, 2003
Acute frontal sinusitis can be a serious condition because of its potential life-threatening complications. These complications, including spread of infection to the frontal bone and intracranially, require prompt diagnosis and intervention to avoid morbidity and mortality. We report a case of acute frontal sinusitis in a 16-year-old girl who presented with fever, severe headache, and vomiting of 3 days' duration. Generalized fluctuant swelling of the nasal root, and bilateral supraorbital and frontoparietal regions was noted. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated left pansinusitis, extensive subgaleal abscess and epidural empyema with osteomyelitis of the frontal bone. External frontoethmoidectomy with mucoperiostectomy were performed. Endoscopic sinus surgery was then conducted for intranasal ethmoidectomy. Intraoperative cultures grew viridans streptococci, coagulase-negative staphylococci and Peptostreptococcus micros. The patient received 3 weeks of treatment with intraveno...
Intracranial Suppurative Complications of Sinusitis
Scandinavian Journal of Surgery, 2016
Background: Intracranial complications of paranasal sinusitis have become rare due to widespread and early use of antibiotics. Potentially life-threatening intracranial complications of sinusitis include subdural empyema, epidural and intracerebral abscess, meningitis, and sinus thrombosis. Patients with intracranial complication of sinusitis can present without neurological signs, which may delay diagnosis and correct treatment. Aims: Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostics, treatment, and outcome of sinusitis-related intracranial infections at our tertiary referral hospital with a catchment area of 1.9 million people. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively collected data on all patients diagnosed and treated with an intracranial infection at the Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, during a 10-year period between 2003 and 2013. Results: Six patients were diagnosed to have a sinusitis-related intracranial infection. Four patients had an epidural abscess, one both an ...
Suppurative Intracranial Complications of Pediatric Sinusitis: A Single-Center Experience
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, 2020
Background Suppurative intracranial complications of sinusitis are rare events in children and can lead to harmful neurologic sequelae and significant morbidity. We sought to review the presentation and management of patients admitted at our hospital with these conditions. Methods This was a retrospective study of pediatric patients admitted to a quaternary children’s hospital from 2007 to 2019 for operative management of sinusitis with intracranial extension. Clinical characteristics, including surgical and microbiological data, were collected and analyzed. Results Fifty-four patients were included; the median age was 11.0 years, and there was a male predominance. Eighty-nine percent of patients had prior healthcare visits for the current episode of sinusitis; 46% of patients had an abnormal neurologic exam on admission. Epidural abscess and subdural empyema were the most common complications, and subdural empyema was associated with repeat surgical intervention. The dominant patho...
Simultaneous treatment of intracranial complications of paranasal sinusitis
European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2018
The objective of this study was to analyse 51 patients with intracranial complications of sinusitis treated in the Department of Otolaryngology and Laryngeal Oncology at Poznań University of Medical Sciences from 1964 to 2016. Males made up a significant portion of study participants at 70.5%. Treatment included simultaneous removal of inflammatory focal points in the paranasal sinuses and drainage of cerebral and epidural abscesses and subdural empyemas under the control of neuronavigation preceded by the implementation of broad-spectrum antibiotics continuously for 4 weeks. Seventy-three intracranial complications were found among 51 patients. Of the 51 patients, 25 had frontal lobe abscesses (including multiple abscesses). Other complications included the following: 16 epidural abscesses, 9 subdural empyemas, 15 meningitis cases, 3 intracerebral abscesses, 3 sinus thrombosis cases and 2 patients with cerebritis. Co-occurrence of these complications worsened the state of the patie...
case repOrt Subdural Empyema Presenting with Seizure, Confusion, and Focal Weakness
2012
While sinusitis is a common ailment, intracranial suppurative complications of sinusitis are rare and difficult to diagnose and treat. The morbidity and mortality of intracranial complications of sinusitis have decreased significantly since the advent of antibiotics, but diseases such as subdural empyemas and intracranial abscesses still occur, and they require prompt diagnosis, treatment, and often surgical drainage to prevent death or long-term neurologic sequelae. We present a case of an immunocompetent adolescent male with a subdural empyema who presented with seizures, confusion, and focal arm weakness after a bout of sinusitis. [West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(6):509-511]