Management of brain abscess: Changing trend and experience in Enugu, Nigeria

Background: Intracranial abscess remains a significant health-care problem. Its causes, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome are changing. Aim: This paper reviewed the demography, examined new trends, and compared outcomes with different treatment options. Methodology: Retrospective analysis of intracranial abscesses managed at Memfys Hospital, Enugu (2004­2014) and University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (2009­2014). Patients were followed up for at least 6 months. All patients had neuroimaging before intervention. Microscopy and culture were performed for the specimens. Intravenous antibiotics were given for 2 weeks before conversion to oral. Results: Seventy-nine parenchymal abscesses (eight cases per year) were managed. Peak age was the second decade of life. Previous head injury (21.5%) and meningitis (16.5%) were the most common predisposing factors. The frontal lobe was most common anatomical location (32%). Only 24% had positive culture result. Three cases were fungal infections. Seventy percent of patients managed with burr hole drainage and 37.5% of craniotomy made complete recovery. Overall, 58% of patients made complete recovery, whereas 19.0% died. Nine percent of cases died before definitive intervention. Among the 24% of patients that presented in coma, 47% died within 6 months. Most important factor influencing mortality was admission level of consciousness. Abscess recurred in 6% of cases. Conclusion: Intraparenchymal abscesses in Enugu were mostly solitary lesions resulting from poorly managed head injury and meningitis. Predisposition from otitis media and systemic diseases has reduced. The proportion of fungal organisms is increasing. A significant proportion of the patients present in coma. Burr hole and aspiration of abscess is less invasive and has very good outcome

Brain imaging and urodynamic correlation in patients with cerebrovascular stroke

Objective: To identify urodynamic abnormalities in patients with cerebrovascular accidents and correlate both with CT or MRI findings. Patients and Methods: From September 2001 to March 2003; a total of 44 males and 16 females were prospectively examined urodynamically in different phases after cerebrovascular accidents; and as early as two days after stroke. Results: In most cases; the urodynamic findings could be correlated with CT or MRI findings. The most determining factor was the site of the lesion followed by the size. Small lesions were frequently silent unless located in critical sites. It was found that frontal; frontoparietal; parietal; basal ganglia and internal capsular ischemic lesions were associated in most cases with detrusor hyperreflexia; whereas thalamic; pontine and cerebellar infarcts were linked to detrusor hyporeflexia. Multiple lesions within the same group produced the same effect; while mixed lesions produced variable ef-fects. There was no effect of laterality or dominance and an initial shock phase could not be identified. Detrusor-sphincter-dys-synergia (DSD) and hence upper tract deterioration were not observed. The effect of stroke was also modified by already present or predominant conditions such as BPH. Conclusion: Correlating urodynamic and CT findings is very difficult in stroke patients because of the diffuse nature of the lesions; the unknown function of many brain centers in micturition control; the innumerable connections between the different brain regions and the extremely complicated influences that the brain regions exert upon each other and upon the bladder. The optimal understanding of the problem is dependent upon the better understanding of the function of each part of the brain. Further studies in this direction are recommended