Brain abscess
Neurosurgery Department, General University Hospital Alicante, Spain.
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Definition
A brain abscess is a localized collection of pus or infected material within the brain tissue.
see also Intracranial abscess.
Classification
Epidemiology
Etiology
Pathology
A brain abscess is a focal area of necrosis starting in an area of cerebritis surrounded by a membrane.
Brain abscesses are suppurative infections of the brain parenchyma surrounded by a vascularized capsule.
Cerebral abscesses result from pathogens growing within the brain parenchyma. Initial parenchymal infection is known as cerebritis, which may progress into a cerebral abscess.
Cerebral infection is commonly divided into four stages with distinct imaging and histopathologic features:
early cerebritis (a focal infection without a capsule or pus formation,can resolve or develop into frank abscess) late cerebritis
early abscess/encapsulation - may occur 10 days after infection
late abscess/encapsulation - may occur >14 days after infection.
Clinical features
Diagnosis
Differential diagnosis
Treatment
Management
Outcome
Case series
Case reports
Brain abscess case reports from General University Hospital Alicante
Books
see Brain abscess books.