Surgery of brain abscess (author's transl)

Abstract

Sixty-seven cases of brain abscess including 52 cases of surgically verified brain abscess were experienced in our clinic during the 18 years from 1960 to 1978. Relationships between operative methods and operative mortality and morbidity were analyzed. Twelve out of 52 surgical cases died, and the surgical mortality was 22.2%. Among different methods of surgical treatment, such as total primary excision, aspiration alone and secondary excision following aspiration, secondary excision following aspiration revealed the lowest mortality. When the brain abscess did not become smaller and the capsule of the brain abscess did not become thicker in spite of repeated aspiration, the outcome was poor. As far as surgical mortality was concerned, aspiration alone appeared to be more favorable than other surgical methods. There were significant improvements in the survival rate and quality of survival with brain abscess in the post-CT era. The indication, methods and timing of surgical procedures on brain abscess were discussed with CT scan analysis.