Nocardia Asteroides Cerebral Abscess in a Renal Transplant Recipient: Short Report

Opportunist central nervous system infections occur in about 5% to 10% of all renal transplant recipients, but reports of brain abscesses are very rare (1). Nocardia asteroides cerebral abscesses are scarce intracranial lesions. They account for only 2% of brain abscesses (2). Published data about these lesions have taken the form of short reports, small case series and reviews. A universally accepted and effective treatment approach has not yet been established. We present a renal transplant patient with a cerebral abscess caused by Nocardia asteroides.     

脑脓肿立体定向外科治疗

目的进一步评价立体定向外科手术在脑脓肿治疗中的作用并探讨脑脓肿的最有效治疗方法。方法自1999年1月至2005年3月共外科手术治疗脑脓肿患者24例，其中男19，女5例，年龄7～76岁（平均44．5岁）。单发脓肿21例；多发脓肿3例。共行立体定向引导脓肿穿刺及引流手术20例：脓肿穿刺14例，穿刺置管引流6例；开颅手术切除脓肿4例。结果全部手术均获得成功，一例患者2W后复发施行了第二次定向手术，另一例于立体定向手术结束时出现癫痫大发作。出院时所有患者临床症状全部消失或明显改善，头颅CT或MRI复查显示脓肿腔消失。22例患者接受了4个月至3年的随访（平均14个月），均未见脓肿复发。结论立体定向脑脓肿穿刺抽吸和引流手术应为脑脓肿的首选治疗。     

超声引导下经皮穿刺留置中心静脉导管引流并反复无水乙醇硬化联合抗生素冲洗治疗单纯性肝脓肿

目的 探讨彩色多普勒超声引导下经皮穿刺留置中心静脉导管引流并反复无水乙醇硬化联合抗生素冲洗治疗单纯性肝脓肿的治疗方法和临床应用价值.方法 对65例单纯性肝囊肿患者进行彩色多普勒超声引导经皮穿刺留置中心静脉导管引流并反复无水乙醇硬化联合抗生素冲洗治疗.结果 所有患者均一次性穿刺成功,成功率为100%,术后均放置中心静脉导管,经引流管共注射无水乙醇及抗生素各670次,平均每次注射保留时间约6.3 min.随访0.5~2.0年,26个脓肿均治愈,治愈率为100%,均未出现出血与感染性休克等并发症.结论 彩色多普勒超声引导下经皮穿刺留置中心静脉导管引流并反复无水乙醇硬化联合抗生素冲洗治疗单纯性肝脓肿,成功率和治愈率高,并发症少.     

Clinical presentation and management of Fasciola hepatica infection: single-center experience

AIM:To identify the characteristic clinical,laboratory and radiological findings and response to treatment in patients with fascioliasis.METHODS:Patients who were diagnosed with Fasciola hepatica infection were included in this prospective study.Initial clinical,laboratory and radiological findings were recorded.All patients were followed until a complete response was achieved or for 6 mo after treatment discontinuation.RESULTS:Fasciola hepatica infection was diagnosed in 30 patients(24 females;mean age:42....     

Multiple streptococcal brain abscesses successfully treated by craniotomy and needle aspiration

The successful surgical treatment of multiple brain abscesses by means of needle aspiration is reported. There is a need for aggressive surgical and antibiotic treatment, using local anesthesia and needle aspiration, when fully developed abscesses are present. The computerized tomographic scan and related surgical techniques allow for a precise localization of an abscess and its evacuation even if it is located in so-called vital areas of the brain.     

Computed tomography of intraperitoneal abscesses

Eighty-seven patients with the clinical suspicion of an intraperitoneal abscess were examined by computed tomography. In 83 of these patients CT gave true positive or true negative results in reference to the diagnosis of local intraperitoneal fluids. The final diagnosis confirmed 28 abscesses in 26 patients. Most of these abscesses were in the left subphrenic space, the right subphrenic space, the right anterior subhepatic space, and the pelvis. The morphological criteria for intraperitoneal abscesses, shown by CT, are defined. Direct signs include form, impression on nonintestinal organs, density value, gas collection, pyogenic membrane, and infiltration in surrounding tissue. Indirect signs include ascites and pleural effusion and/or pulmonary infiltration. Differential diagnostic problems of intraperitoneal abscesses are discussed.     

Spilled gallstones—complications of abdominal-wall abscesses

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the preferred method for removal of the diseased gallbladder. While its morbidity and mortality rates are lower than those of the open technique, it does have associated complications which may cause significant morbidity. The morbidity associated with spilled gall-stones is not well studied and little can be found in the literature on this subject. We encountered a patient who developed abscesses within the abdominal wall following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We recommend that spilled gallstones be removed when possible and that surgeons be aware of this possible complication.     

Ultrasonography in the evaluation of neck abscesses in children

A prospective study evaluating the benefits of preoperative ultrasonography of paediatric neck abscesses is presented. Twenty-three consecutive children who presented with suspected neck abscesses to the Accident and Emergency Department at the Temple Street Children's Hospital between 1990 and 1992 have been evaluated prospectively. On admission, ultrasonography showed a collection of pus in 11 children and these underwent incision and drainage. The other 12 had intravenous antibiotics. Six of these remained pyrexial and had a repeat ultrasound after 72 h revealing pus which was drained. The remaining were managed successfully with medical treatment. In this study there were no negative surgical interventions and we recommend ultrasonography for preoperative evaluation of children with suspected inflammatory neck abscesses.     

Multiple periodontal abscesses after systemic antibiotic therapy

Multiple periodontal abscesses were reported in medically compromised patients. We examined patients with a non-contributory medical history referred for the treatment of numerous periodontal abscesses. All patients had taken oral broad spectrum antibiotics 1 to 3 weeks prior to the outburst of the abscesses (8 patients: penicillin, 2 patients: tetracycline). The patients suffered from advanced periodontal disease, 82% of the examined sites showed probing depths greater than 3 mm, 56% attachment loss greater than 3 mm. Subgingival plaque samples were analysed from 2 different abscess sites. Bacteroides gingivalis (19/20), Fusobacterium nucleatum (13/20) and Streptococcus intermedius (13/20) were the most prevalent anaerobic microbiota. Strains resistant to the prescribed antibiotic were found in 55% (11/20) of the subgingival plaque samples. It was concluded that in patients with advanced periodontal disease, systemic antibiotic therapy without subgingival debridement may change the composition of the subgingival microbiota, thus favouring the outburst of multiple periodontal abscesses.