The management of brain abscess in a developing country: are the results any different?

A retrospective study of 57 surgically-managed brain abscesses at the Neurosurgical Unit, Bir Hospital during a 6-year period from October 1990 is presented. Detailed hospital case notes could be traced in only 37 cases, consisting of 25 males and 12 females with age range from 5 months to 60 years. Cryptogenic abscess was the commonest category followed by abscess caused by chronic ear infection. The diagnosis was made with enhanced computed tomography (CT) in all the cases. Positive bacteriology was found in only nine cases. The treatment consisted of 6 weeks of intensive intravenous antibiotics and emergency surgical drainage of the abscess. Five out of the total cases died (13.5%). These patients were all in an extremely poor condition at the time of presentation. All the survivors made a good recovery. With timely CT diagnosis, surgical drainage and antibiotics, good results can be achieved even in a developing country.