Streptococcus pluranimalium: A novel human pathogen?

INTRODUCTION

We present the first case of a subdural empyema caused by Streptococcus pluranimalium, in a healthy adolescent male as a possible complication of subclinical frontal sinusitis. Clinical features, diagnostic approach and management of subdural empyema are discussed.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 17-year-old male with a 2 day history of headache and nausea was referred to our Emergency Department (ED) as a case of possible meningitis. He was afebrile, lethargic and drowsy with significant neck stiffness on examination. Computerized tomography (CT) revealed a large frontotemporoparietal subdural fluid collection with significant midline shift. Subsequent contrast-enhanced CT established the presence of intracranial empyema; the patient underwent immediate burr-hole evacuation of the pus and received 7 weeks of intravenous antibiotics, recovering with no residual neurological deficit.

DISCUSSION

The diagnosis of subdural empyema as a complication of asymptomatic sinusitis in an immunocompetent patient with no history of fever or upper respiratory symptoms was unanticipated. Furthermore, the organism Streptococcus pluranimalium that was cultured from the pus has only been documented twice previously in medical literature to cause infection in humans, as it is primarily a pathogen responsible for infection in bovine and avian species.

CONCLUSION

Subdural empyema represents a neurosurgical emergency and if left untreated is invariably fatal. Rapid diagnosis, surgical intervention and intensive antibiotic therapy improve both morbidity and mortality.     

Simultaneous bilateral decortications via video-assisted thoracic surgery for bilateral empyema

IntroductionBilateral empyema is a rare and life-threatening condition that is difficult to treat. We herein report a case of bilateral empyema that was treated with simultaneous bilateral decortications via video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).Presentation of caseA 38-year-old female complained of chest pain, dyspnea, and high grade fever lasting two weeks. Computed tomography revealed bilateral notching pleural effusion and pneumonia with atelectasis. Bilateral thoracic drainage was performed. From the right chest, white pus was drained, and Streptococcus anginosus was identified. The left drainage fluid was serous, and no bacteria were identified. We diagnosed the patient with right empyema and left para-pneumonic effusion consequent to pneumonia. Because conservative therapies could not resolve the inflammatory findings, simultaneous bilateral VATS decortications were performed. Both thoracic cavities had loculated pleural effusion. In contrast to the preoperative findings, white pus was found in not only the right, but also the left thoracic cavity. She had an uncomplicated postoperative course and recovered.DiscussionBilateral empyema that has developed to the fibrinopleural phase is difficult to treat with drains alone. Bilateral VATS decortications helped to make a definitive diagnosis and treat both sides simultaneously.ConclusionSimultaneous bilateral VATS decortications should be considered as a feasible and effective procedure for bilateral empyema that is refractory to medical treatment.     

Supra- and infratentorial subdural empyema secondary to septicemia in a patient with liver abscess--case report

An 81-year-old man presented with subdural empyema in the left parietotemporal convexity 2 months after treatment under diagnoses of liver abscess and septicemia. Systemic investigation found no evidence of otorhinological or other focal infection except for liver abscess. Emergency drainage of pus was performed via a single burr hole and additional intravenous antibiotics were administered. Six weeks later, magnetic resonance imaging revealed subdural empyema in the right cerebellopontine angle in addition to recurrence of pus in the left parietotemporal subdural space. Ischemic changes were also shown in the right cerebellar hemisphere and brainstem. Although subdural empyema secondary to septicemia is rare, the possibility of this type of intracranial infection must be kept in mind, especially in compromised patients with septicemia.     

Empyema necessitatis in an infant: a rare surgical disease

Empyema necessitatis is a rare complication of empyema and is more commonly reported in adults. It is characterized by purulence in the pleural space extending into the overlying soft tissues. We report a rare case in an otherwise healthy 3-month-old girl who presented with right chest wall swelling and was subsequently found to have methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus empyema necessitatis requiring thoracotomy with decortication.     

Remote contralateral intraparenchymal hemorrhage after overdrainage of a chronic subdural hematoma

INTRODUCTIONChronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is frequently seen by neurosurgeons. Treatment often includes evacuation of the subdural hematoma (SDH) through one or two burr holes and placement of a drain in the subdural space to further evacuate subdural fluid and prevent reaccumulation of blood during the immediate postoperative period. Complications associated with this type of drainage include fluid and blood reaccumulation, tension pneumocephalus, seizures and subdural empyema.PRESENTATION OF CASEThe author presents a case in which aggressive CSF overdrainage most likely led to acute severe intracranial hypotension, causing the collapse of the contralateral bridging veins and ultimately resulting in venous insufficiency and hemorrhagic infarction. The remote intracerebral hemorrhages were suspected to be due to CSF overdrainage through the subdural drain, so the drain was immediately removed. After drain removal, the patient's neurologic status improved and his hemiplegia disappeared within 4 h. A follow-up head CT scan 1 month later revealed resolution of his subdural fluid collection and right-sided intraparenchymal hemorrhages. He returned to work 1 month later in good condition.DISCUSSIONAlthough many authors have examined factors affecting the success of cSDH drainage procedures, there are few reports about the risks of overdrainage and little information available about drainage volume. This report links excessive cSDH drainage of with a remote contralateral intraparenchymal hemorrhage, a complication that has been noted only twice previously, and neither report suggested the mechanism for occurrence of the hemorrhage, or specified the amount of drainage.CONCLUSIONSubdural drainage should be carefully monitored to avoid overdrainage.     

Bericht über ein spinales subdurales Empyem

Zusammenfassung Nicht traumatische spinale subdurale Empyeme sind extrem selten. An Hand eines Falles mit diffuser Ausbreitung des Empyems im ganzen spinalen Subduralraum, der durch Operation sowie lokale und allgemeine Antibiotikaanwendung geheilt werden konnte, werden kurz Fragen der Ätiologie und Therapie besprochen.

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Casuistic report on a spinal subdural empyema

Summary Non-traumatic spinal subdural empyemas are extremely rare. On the basis of a case with diffuse dispersal of the empyema throughout the whole spinal subdural space (which as a result of operation and both local and general antibiotic treatment was cured) questions concerning aetiology and therapy are briefly discussed.

     

Fungal Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysm Treated by Trapping and High-Flow Bypass: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report a case of unruptured fungal internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm and review the pertinent literature. A 79-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity on the right side, and he was diagnosed with retrobulbar optic neuritis. Medical treatment with steroids resulted in Aspergillus meningoencephalitis spreading to the bottom of bilateral frontal lobes, caused by an intracranial extension of sphenoid sinusitis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed 26 days after the start of antifungal therapy showed a denovo right ICA aneurysm projecting anteriorly into the sphenoid sinus. As the aneurysm grew rapidly, it was trapped surgically after establishing a high-flow bypass from the external carotid artery to the middle cerebral artery. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful. Anti-fungal medication was continued until plasma concentrations of beta-D-glucan decreased to within normal limits. Although fungal ICA aneurysm carries a high mortality rate, early detection and prompt treatment by trapping and high-flow bypass can lead to good clinical outcome.     

Fulminant subdural empyema treated with a wide decompressive craniectomy and continuous irrigation--case report

A 56-year-old male presented with fulminant subdural empyema manifesting as rhinorrhea, periorbital cellulitis, fever, convulsions, and consciousness disturbance. Neuroimaging showed pansinusitis with skull destruction and extensive subdural empyema. Decompressive craniectomy, irrigation of the empyema, and subdural drainage were performed. Endoscopic sinus surgery was performed to remove the source of infection at the same time. Streptococcus milleri was cultured from the pus. Continuous irrigation of the subdural space with saline containing gentamicin for 7 days resulted in prompt elimination of pus and debris. The patient was discharged with only a slight neurological deficit.     

Intracranial hypovolemic syndrome with subdural hygroma developed massive hematoma: timing of treatment and histology of dural hypertrophy

We report a case of a 43-year-old man treated by craniotomy for chronical subdural hematoma (CSH) due to spontaneous intracranial hypovolemia. The patient complained of sudden onset severe headache. Initial CT scan showed normal brain structure, and his headache improved with bed rest in a few days. However, MR images obtained for vertigo one month later demonstrated bilateral subdural hygroma extending to the supracerebellar space and diffuse dural enhancement after gadolinium infusion. We diagnosed bilateral subdural hygroma due to spontaneous intracranial hypovolemia, and observed him conservatively. Four months after onset, he complained of severe headache again and MR images revealed enlargement of bilateral CSH with mass effect, which had heterogenous intensity on the right convexity. We evacuated hematoma on the right by craniotomy and aspirated the left side hematoma using a burr hole. His headache improved 2 weeks after the operation with strict bed rest. The follow-up MR images showed disappearance of abnormal meningeal enhancement and improvement of brain sagging.     

Multidisciplinary management and outcome in subdural empyema--a case report

Cranial subdural empyema (SDE), a localized septic intracranial collection, occurs mostly as a complication of sinusitis, otitis or mastoiditis. Although relatively rare, SDE requires an increased attention for early recognition, cerebral imagery being mandatory in any suspected case. Any delay in treatment can lead to coma with a fatal outcome. The authors report the case of a young boy, who developed a severe, important cerebral edema, thin subdural collection with minimal displacement of the median line. Repeated cerebral MRI showed an enlarged subdural collection with higher median line shift and imposed rapid surgical intervention. The collection proved to be empyema. Other findings on MRI are pansinusitis, mild mastoiditis and transverse sinus thromboflebitis. The recovery was accompanied by the need for long course of antibiotherapy, secondary epilepsy treatment and kinetotherapy for hemiparesis. The patient also developed intracerebral cysts expanding the brain through the postoperative cranial defect which later needed surgical intervention, for both neurological and esthetic improvement. The management of the case implied strong interdisciplinary collaboration between infectionist, neurologist, neurosurgeon, microbiologist and imagist.     

Falcotentorial subdural empyema: analysis of 10 cases

Object  

Parafalcine subdural empyema and those along the superior and inferior surface of the tentorium are rare entities. We present a series of 10 patients where we have attempted to describe the pathophysiology, clinical features, and management of subdural empyema.     

Delayed post-traumatic subdural empyema.

A case of subdural empyema is reported, treated through a frontal bone flap, with exenteration of the infected frontal sinus at operation, and subdural instillation of antibiotics for 48 hours postoperatively. Diagnostic findings are reviewed, and the likelihood of anaerobic infection this case and similar cases discussed.     

Inflammatory granulomas extending from the sphenoid sinus to the cavernous sinus: report of three cases]

We treated three cases of inflammatory granulomas extending from the sphenoid sinus to the cavernous sinus. Case 1 was that of a 36-year-old male with diplopia and right ptosis. Case 2 was that of a 40-year-old male with frontal headache. Case 3 was that of a 70-year-old female with left impaired vision and frontal headache. In the first case, MRI demonstrated a mass lesion extending from the right half of the sphenoid sinus to the cavernous sinus and retropharyngeal space. In the second case the granuloma extended from the right cavernous sinus to the right retroorbital space. In the last case, MRI demonstrated diffuse Gd-DTPA enhancement of the left cavernous sinus and the left half of the sphenoid sinus. In all cases an operation was performed using the sublabial rhinoseptal approach, and the tumor in the sphenoid sinus was removed. Histological examination revealed an inflammatory granuloma in all 3 cases. In the first case the clinical symptoms improved following administration of glucocorticoids. In the second case the mass in the cavernous sinus decreased in size postoperatively. In the last case, the clinical symptoms gradually improved with administration of antibiotics after surgery. Granuloma of the cavernous sinus is difficult to diagnose, but when a similar pathological lesion coexists in the sphenoid sinus, a definitive diagnosis can be easily made via the sublabial rhinoseptal approach.     

Case of traumatic dural arteriovenous fistula presenting as an acute subdural hematoma and an intracerebral hematoma. A case report

A rare case of traumatic dural arteriovenous fistula presenting as an acute subdural hematoma and an intracerebral hematoma is reported. A 57-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of aphasia and right hemiparesis. A CT on admission demonstrated a left frontotemporal subdural hematoma and an intracerebral hematoma in the left frontal lobe. Left external carotid angiographies revealed a dural arteriovenous fistula, fed by the left middle meningeal artery and draining the middle meningeal vein. A retrograde drainage into the cortical vein was also revealed. The patient had sudden loss of consciousness after cerebral angiography and demonstrated increased subdural hematoma and severe midline shift. We performed emergency decompressive craniectomy, coagulation of the dural vessels, and evacuation of the subdural hematoma. Postoperative left external carotid angiographies revealed the disappearance of the dural arteriovenous fistula. This case suggested a dural arteriovenous fistula, between the middle meningeal artery and the middle meningeal vein close to the sinus (sphenoparietal or superior sagital sinus), and resulted in a subdural hematoma and an intracerebral hematoma, due to the retrograde venous drainage into cortical veins.     

A large arachnoid cyst of the lateral ventricle extending from the supracerebellar cistern--case report

BACKGROUND: The pathogenetic mechanism of intraventricular arachnoid cyst development is still controversial, but is believed to originate from the vascular mesenchyme or as an extension of the arachnoid cyst in the subarachnoid space into the ventricle through the choroidal fissure. We report a case supporting the extension hypothesis and suggest differential points between an intraventricular arachnoid cyst that extended from the supracerebellar space and a lateral ventricular diverticulum that extended into the supracerebellar cistern. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 12-month-old girl presented with macrocephaly and developmental delay. Her magnetic resonance imaging showed an arachnoid cyst that had developed from the supracerebellar space in the posterior fossa, and which extended into the left lateral ventricle resulting in expansion of the left lateral ventricle and displacing the choroids plexus anteriorly and laterally and the midline to the right. We treated an intraventricular arachnoid cyst by endoscopic fenestration resulting in dramatic reduction of the intraventricular arachnoid cyst with large bilateral subdural fluid collection. We performed a subduroperitoneal shunt for subdural fluid collection and subsequent cystoperitoneal shunt for the remnant cyst. CONCLUSION: We suggest that this case supports the extension hypothesis from the subarachnoid space through the choroidal fissure into the lateral ventricle. We also suggest that one of the radiological differential points between an intraventricular arachnoid cyst and a ventricular diverticulum is displacement and compression of the choroid plexus of the lateral ventricle.     

Empyema and subdural effusion after meningitis. 2 cases of unusual location]

A 12-year old child and a 2-month old infant developed, in the wane of a purulent meningitis, the former, an infratentorial subdural empyema, the latter, a large, encapsulated, haemoorhagic, aseptic subdural effusion, in the right parieto-temporo-occipital region. In both cases, signs of intracranial hypertension dominated the clinical picture. Neuroradiological investigations permitted diagnosis and localisation of the expansive processes, whose subdural position was recognized at operation and confirmed by histopathological examination. According to the literature, purulent meningitis is a rare cause of subdural empyema, except in infants; the solely infratentorial location is also unusual. Sterile subdural effusion is a more common complication of purulent meningitis in infancy, but the unilateral posterior supratentorial location is also a peculiar feature. Subdural collections after memingitis may be aseptic and possibly haemorrhagic, or septic and purulent; these different modes of presentation correspond perhaps to different degrees or stages of subdural pathological changes in the neighbourhood of leptomeningeal infection.     

Linezolid for treatment of subdural empyema due to Streptococcus: case reports

BACKGROUND: Recurring subdural empyema despite adequate surgical drainage and antibiotic treatment is still a life-threatening disease. This is mainly due to poor diffusion of the antibiotic into the subdural space. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report 2 cases of recurring subdural empyema due to Streptococcus, after repeat surgery and high-dose antibiotic treatment including beta-lactamines and vancomycin. Both patients showed marked clinical and radiologic improvement after introduction of linezolid. There was no drug-related adverse effect despite 36 and 90 days of treatment. CONCLUSION: Off-label use of linezolid for treatment of subdural empyema due to gram-positive bacteria should be considered after failure of conventional antibiotic treatment.     

Subdural empyema occurring 20 years after trauma: case report

The authors report a case of subdural empyema that occurred 20 years after a severe closed head injury and was treated surgically with good results. Traumatic subdural empyema of this late onset is rare. The literature is reviewed, and the mechanism of a delayed presentation is discussed.     

Extraaxial primary malignant lymphoma associated with calcified chronic subdural hematoma: a case report

The authors report the case of a 54-year-old male with extraaxial primary malignant lymphoma associated with calcified chronic subdural hematoma. He slowly developed progressive headache accompanied by a bulge in the left forehead. Skull radiogram showed a large biconvex calcification in the left frontoparietal region, with concave change in the overlying bone. Computed tomograms and magnetic resonance images revealed a left frontoparietal chronic subdural hematoma surrounded by a calcified rim, with marginal enhancement in the frontal portion extending upward to the subcutaneous tissue through the underlying bone. The lesion was suspected to be an infectious calcified hematoma. The patient underwent a craniotomy for the removal of the hematoma. It was observed that the tumor was located mainly in the epidural and subdural space. The extent of the tumor corresponded with the enhanced area of the lesion in the preoperative neuroimages. The histological diagnosis was malignant lymphoma of B cell origin. General examination, which included bone marrow study and Ga scintigraphy, failed to prove systemic lymphoma. Extraaxial primary malignant lymphoma is extremely rare, and this is the first report of a lymphoma associated with calcified chronic subdural hematoma. The authors review the literature and discuss the clinical features and the pathogenesis of the lesion.