Infected intracranial aneurysm in an infant: case report

The case of a ruptured, infected intracranial aneurysm occurring in a 34-day-old child is reported. The child was brought for examination after a sudden onset of screaming and pallor, followed by focal seizures. Blood cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus, and a computed tomographic scan revealed a large hematoma in the region of the left sylvian fissure. An angiogram demonstrated a 17-mm aneurysm arising from a small branch of the middle cerebral artery. At craniotomy, the hematoma was evacuated and an infected aneurysm was removed. The etiology, pathogenesis, and management of infected intracranial aneurysms is discussed. Our patient is the youngest in whom such an aneurysm has yet been reported.