Abstract

GOYO-RIVAS, José de Jesús; GARCIA CASTILLO, Eudy  and  CORREA, Magdalena. Absceso cerebral en niños. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 1999, vol.71, n.1, pp.13-22. ISSN 0034-7531.

23 patients aged 0-14 with brain abscess that were studied at the University Hospital of Los Andes, Mérida-Venezuela, during a period of 15 years (1979-1994) are presented. It was found a case of brain abscess per 1 600 hospitalizations. The highest incidence of the disease was observed at school age (43,4 %) and among males (52,1 %). Some of the predisposing factors were: otomastoiditis with 30,4 %; neurosurgical postoperative, 21,7 %; sinusitis, 17,3 %; meningitis, 17,3 %; congenital heart disease, 8,6 %; and periorbital cellulitis, 4,3 %. In 19 patients the abscess was unique, and in 4 it was multiple. 5 of the abscesses were multiloculated. In 61,9 % of the patients the disease had more than a week of evolution. The classical triad (cephalalgia-fever-neurological focalization) was observed in 9/23 patients (39,1 %). 12 of the patients received medical and surgical treatment. The Stafilococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated germ (20 %) associated with neurosurgical postoperative, whereas Enterobacteria (33 %) was associated with otomastoid infections. Mortality rate was 34,7 %. Brain abscess in children is still a diagnostic and treatment challenge for clinicians.

Keywords : BRAIN ABSCESS.

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