Herpes encephalitis after meningioma resection

Abstract

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is the most common and gravest sporadic form of acute encephalitis.1,2 Between 30 and 70% of cases are fatal, and the majority of patients who survive have serious neurologic complications. In adults, HSE mostly results from reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of trigeminal nerve ganglia or brain parenchyma. We present a case of HSE in an immunocompetent patient after uneventful meningioma resection, which shows that HSE is a rare3,4 but severe complication after neurosurgery. We also show that decompressive craniotomy can be a lifesaving option for HSE treatment. A 47-year-old woman presented with headache and a slowly progressive right-sided disturbance of vision. Otherwise, the medical history of the patient was unremarkable. On examination, apart from a decreased visual acuity of the right eye, no neurologic deficit was detected. A CT scan revealed a meningioma …