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Subdural empyema is an intracranial infection that has remained difficult to diagnose and to treat. Seventeen patients with this infection, treated between 1967 and 1974, are analyzed and compared to published series with particular regard to diagnosis using newer procedures and treatment, considering the primary focus of infection. The infection is usually located in the supratentorial spaces, is often bilateral, and results most often from para-nasal sinusitis (single most common cause), otitis, neurosurgical operative infections, and meningitis in infants. Patients suffering from subdural empyema generally present with rapid onset of depressed sensorium, seizures, focal neurological deficits, and signs of increased intracranial pressure, following a period of days to weeks characterized by headache and fever. All 17 of our patients demonstrated localizing neurological signs and 16 manifested either fever or leukocytosis. Diagnostic studies, except for cerebral arteriography, do not reliably corroborate or exclude the diagnosis. Cerebral arteriography established the diagnosis and defined the location and extent of the empyema in all of our cases. The EEG and brain scan produced frequent false-negative and/or non-localizing results in 10 and 8 patients, respectively. The cerebrospinal fluid was abnormal from all 15 patients examined by lumbar puncture, but the findings were similar to those in other infectious and non-infectious central nervous system diseases. Signs of transtentorial herniation developed within eight hours following lumbar puncture in three of seven patients who had exhibited signs of increased intracranial pressure before the procedure was performed. Bacterial cultures were positive in 13 of our cases. A review of our data and that of other studies indicates that the organisms associated with subdural empyema are consistent with those expected from infections of the primary site; e.g. sinusitis, otitis, meningitis, site of prior neurosurgery. A therapeutic approach is suggested which emphasizes specific antibiotic regimens appropriate to the primary site of infection and prompt neurosurgical intervention with evacuation of the subdural spaces bilaterally. In general, combination antimicrobial therapy employing high parenteral doses of penicillin G, a semi-synthetic penicillinase-resistant penicillin and chloramphenicol is recommended.
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PMID:Subdural empyema: analysis of 17 recent cases and review of the literature. 118 92

Subdural empyema is a surgical emergency, which, if not recognized and managed promptly, is rapidly fatal. The clinical features, diagnosis, infecting organisms, treatment and results in 15 patients with subdural empyema admitted to the University and Saskatoon City hospitals between 1956 and 1982 are evaluated. There were 11 males and 4 females; 80% were under 50 years of age. Paranasal sinusitis in six patients was the most common cause of the condition. The most frequent presenting features were fever, headache, vomiting, seizures and motor deficit. Preoperative diagnostic methods included skull roentgenography, cerebrospinal fluid studies, electroencephalography, cerebral angiography and computerized tomography. Cultures of the pus were positive for bacteria in 13 of the 15 patients. Drainage of the empyema was accomplished through multiple burr holes, craniotomy and craniectomy. Follow-up ranged from 1 month to 15 years. Eleven patients recovered with minimal or no neurologic deficit, 2 patients had permanent major deficits and 2 died. Successful management of subdural empyema depends on early diagnosis, prompt evacuation of the pus and appropriate antibiotic therapy.
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PMID:Subdural empyema: a retrospective study of 15 patients. 614 82

Subdural empyema, a collection of pus in the space between the dura and arachnoid, is a rare type of intracranial infection. We report on 23 patients, aged 8 months to 70 years, with subdural empyema who were treated in our clinic between 1989 and 1994. The sources of subdural empyemas were meningitis in five patients, middle ear in five, trauma in four, paranasal sinus in three, complications of surgery and subdural tap in four, and unknown in two patients. The common presentations were headache, focal neurologic deficit, fever, vomiting, seizures, and neck stiffness. Diagnosis was achieved by computerized tomography and neurologic examinations in all cases. Treatment was effected by burr hole or small craniotomy with catheter drainage, and antibiotics were administered to all patients. The mortality rate was 8.7%; the remaining patients made a good recovery without sequelae. We therefore recommend burr hole with catheter drainage plus antibiotics as a method of treating subdural empyema.
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PMID:Treatment of subdural empyema by burr hole. 875 81

The authors report a case of so-called "infected subdural hematoma" as a complication of chronic subdural hematoma. The patient was a 55-year-old man who had sustained a small laceration of the forehead in a traffic accident on March 29, 1995. No fractures were detected on skull roentgenograms, and general and neurological examinations failed to reveal any abnormal findings. In early August 1995, the patient began to experience headaches, and on August 5 he developed a fever of 38 degrees C. On August 8 he suffered a left motor seizure and was admitted to our hospital. Laboratory studies revealed a peripheral leukocyte count of 10,800/mm3 and a C-reactive protein level of 18.1 mg/dl. Computed tomography scans showed a thick right fronto-parietal subdural low density mass and a thin left frontal subdural low density mass. An emergency operation was performed via a single right fronto-parietal burr hole. A chronic subdural hematoma containing slightly yellowish, bloody, purulent fluid was found beneath an outer membrane. The hematoma was irrigated with physiological saline containing antibiotics, and a drain was inserted into the subdural space. A subdural membrane was also present on the left but it contained no pus. Aggressive antibiotic therapy was performed, and the patient was discharged without any neurological deficit. Histologically the membrane was determined to be the outer membrane of a typical chronic subdural hematoma. Enterococcus faecalis, which has rarely been reported to cause infection of the central nervous system, was detected in a bacterial culture of the pus. Systemic investigation showed no evidence of otorhinologic or other focal infection. The above clinical findings suggested that hematogenous seeding of a chronic subdural hematoma had occurred in this patient. Subdural empyema arising from hematogenous seeding to a pre-existing subdural hematoma by an infection is very rare, but this type of complication must be kept in mind not only in the elderly, infants, and compromised hosts, but in patients without complications as well.
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PMID:[A case of infected subdural hematoma complicating chronic subdural hematoma in a healthy adult man]. 902 8

We report two cases of cerebral angitis and cerebritis caused by subdural empyema. A 22-year-old man, who complained of a headache and high fever, suddenly developed unconsciousness and right hemiparesis. CT and MRI demonstrated left subdural empyema with diffuse brain swelling. CT angiography showed diffuse narrowing of the left internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, and anterior cerebral artery. Although we performed craniotomy, continuous irrigation with drainage, systemic injection of antibiotics for subdural empyema, antiplatelet therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for angitis, his condition remained unchanged. A 67-year-old man who had previously undergone burr hole surgery presented to our hospital for the treatment of scalp infection. He suddenly developed unconsciousness and right hemiparesis. CT and MRI demonstrated left subdural empyema with diffuse brain swelling, but MR angiography did not show any abnormal findings. Hemiparesis improved after the surgery and systemic injection of the antibiotics. Subdural empyema with sinusitis or meningitis around the skull base sometimes causes cerebral angitis. We considered that the angiographical evaluation for the subdural empyema was necessary to detect angitis.
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PMID:[Cerebral arteritis and cerebritis caused by subdural empyema: two cases report]. 1159 85

Intracranial infections, especially subdural empyema, due to salmonella are rare. Subdural empyema caused by Salmonella paratyphi A has been documented only once earlier in the literature. Hence, we report a case of subdural empyema and osteomyelitis of cranial vault due to S. paratyphi A. A 42- year-old male presented with headache and purulent discharge from right parietal burr hole wound site. Patient gave a history of head injury two years ago. He underwent burr hole evacuation of chronic subdural haematoma, excision of outer membrane and right parietal craniectomy. The cultures grew S. paratyphi A. Recovery was uneventful following surgical intervention and antibiotic therapy.
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PMID:Chronic subdural empyema and cranial vault osteomyelitis due to Salmonella paratyphi A. 2006 68

A 14-year-old girl who had been experiencing ear discharge for the previous 3 years was referred to a tertiary care center for management of a 3-day history of severe headache and vomiting. Otolaryngologic examination revealed the presence of an atticoantral type of ear disease on the left side. Computed tomography detected an interhemispheric subdural abscess that had originated on the left side. The patient was initially treated with antibiotics, and she later underwent a mastoidectomy to clear the ear disease. She recovered without complications. Subdural empyema is the rarest complication of otitis media, and it is very rarely seen in an interhemispheric setting.
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PMID:Interhemispheric subdural abscess: a rare complication of atticoantral ear disease. 2293 91

Subdural empyema related to Streptococcus constellatus is extremely rare in an immunocompetent child, and also there is no reported case along with Staphylococcus lugdunensis infection. Although Streptococcus constellatus has been determined as a co-pathogen with anerobic bacteria in many infections, it has not been reported in combination with Staphylococcus lugdunensis. The authors describe a case of previously healthy 16-y-old child with unilateral subdural empyema due to these bacteria. Sinusitis was the only predisposing factor in the index case. The authors propose that some cases of culture-negative intracranial infections may be due to these infectious agents. Therefore, these agents should be considered as causes of intracranial infection in persistent complaints such as fever and headache after sinusitis in children. It is important to treat them with effective antibiotics and early surgical intervention for favorable outcome, because fatal cases were reported due to Streptococcus constellatus infections.
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PMID:Is Sinusitis Innocent?--Unilateral Subdural Empyema in an Immunocompetent Child. 2596 57

A 63-year old man with fever, headache, aphasia, and right hemiparesis was admitted to our hospital one month after the initial burr-hole surgery for left chronic subdural hematoma. Computed tomography(CT)revealed no regrowth of residual subdural hematoma. However, on the basis of the findings from magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)with diffusion-weighted images(DWI), an infection due to residual subdural hematoma was suspected. A small craniotomy was performed, and a little fluid with pus was aspirated from the subdural space. Postoperative antibiotic therapy for subdural empyema was performed, and subsequent culture of pus revealed <i>Propionibacterium acnes</i>(<i>P. acnes</i>). The patient's symptoms resolved, and he returned to work two months later. Subdural empyema caused by P. acnes after burr-hole surgery for chronic subdural hematoma is rare. We should consider infection due to residual hematoma in patients with recurrent symptoms and signs of inflammation, even in the absence of apparent regrowth of residual hematoma after burr-hole surgery.
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PMID:[Subdural Empyema Caused by <i>Propionibacterium Acnes</i> after Burr-Hole Surgery of Chronic Subdural Hematoma:A Case Report]. 3004 4