Brain Abscesses Flashcards Preview

Clinical Pathology > Brain Abscesses > Flashcards

Flashcards in Brain Abscesses Deck (15)
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1
Q

Commonest cause of brain abscesses

A

Streptococci

2
Q

Causative organisms of brain abscesses

A
Streptococci
Staph A
gram -ve enteric bacteria (E.coli, pseudomonas)
Fungi
M. TB
Toxoplasma gondii
3
Q

4 clinical explanations for brain abscesses

A
  1. Direct spread from ‘contiguous’ supporative focus
  2. Haematogenous spread from a distant focus e.g. endocarditis, bronchiectasis
  3. Trauma
  4. Cryptogenic- no explanation
4
Q

Clinical presentation for brain abscesses

A

Headache, focal neurological deficit, confusion, fever, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, seizures, neck stiffness, papilloedema, coma

5
Q

Management of small brain abscesses

A

Antibiotics

6
Q

Management of large brain abscesses

A

Drainage, anitbiotics

7
Q

Which drugs achieve therapeutic concentrations in intracranial pus?

A

Ampicillin, penicillin, cefuroxime, cefotazidime, metronidazole

8
Q

Treatment for sinugenic/odontogenic abscess

A

Cefotaxime, metronidazole

9
Q

Treatmnet for otogenic abscess

A

Benzylpenicillin, cetazidime, metronidazole

10
Q

Complications of abscesses in the brain

A

Increased intracranial pressure

Ruptures (usually into ventricles) causing ventriculitis

11
Q

Infection between dura and arachnoid mata

A

subdural empyema

12
Q

Causes of subdural empyema

A

Strep.pneumo, H.influenzae, Staph A

13
Q

Pathogeneisis of subdural empyema

A

Spread of infection from
sinuses
middle ear and mastoid
distant site e.g. haematogenous or following surgery or trauma

14
Q

Cause of brain abscesses in neurosurgical patients

A

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VP) and external ventricular drain (EVD) infection

15
Q

Most common causative organism of ventriculoperitoneal shunt and external ventricular drain?

A

Coagulase -ve staphylococci

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