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Review
. 2011 Nov;76(5):431-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2011.03.048.

A review of brain abscess surgical treatment--78 years: aspiration versus excision

Thiloka Erandathi Ratnaike  1 , Suparna Das, Barbara Ann Gregson, A David Mendelow
Affiliations
Review

A review of brain abscess surgical treatment--78 years: aspiration versus excision

Thiloka Erandathi Ratnaike et al. World Neurosurg. 2011 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: The literature regarding surgical treatment of brain abscess was reviewed from 1990 to (and including) 2008 to supplement a previous literature review from 1930 to 1990.

Methods: The Ovid Medline database 1950-2009 with the year range limited to 1990-2009 was used to identify all articles relating to brain abscess. The results were compared with a previously published review from 1930-1990 by the senior author.

Results: The original finding was confirmed that the high mortality from aspiration in the pre-computer tomography era decreased dramatically after computer tomographic scanning became available. In the present review, the mean mortality for aspiration post-1990 was 6.6% for publications with more than five patients. With surgical excision by craniotomy, the mean mortality in the same period was 12.7%.

Conclusions: The present review suggests that aspiration may be the first surgical choice in patients with supratentorial parenchymal brain abscesses.

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Comment in

  • Brain abscess: an antediluvian affliction of the past?
    Woo PC, Wong HT, Poon WS. Woo PC, et al. World Neurosurg. 2011 Nov;76(5):385-7. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2011.05.030. World Neurosurg. 2011. PMID: 22152557 No abstract available.
  • Brain abscess: aspiration versus excision.
    Quintana LM. Quintana LM. World Neurosurg. 2011 Nov;76(5):388-9. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2011.04.012. World Neurosurg. 2011. PMID: 22152558 No abstract available.
  • Deja vu.
    Van Dellen J. Van Dellen J. World Neurosurg. 2011 Nov;76(5):390-1. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2011.05.031. World Neurosurg. 2011. PMID: 22152559 No abstract available.

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