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Pott's puffy tumor by Actinomyces after minor head trauma
Juan Casado Pellejero1, Asís Lorente Muñoz1, Nnamdi Elenwoke1
1Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
Abstract:
Pott's puffy tumour (PPT) is a rare entity that involves scalp swelling associated with subperiosteal abscess and cranial osteomyelitis, occasionally accompanied by intracranial infection. It is usually affiliated with frontal sinusitis, which is a typical but infrequent complication. On the contrary, Osteomyelitis by Actinomyces is rare and usually occurs at the mandibular level, with very few cases of cranial osteomyelitis caused by this bacterial specie, especially after traumatic brain injury. We report an exceptionally unusual case of a PPT frontal tumor after blunt trauma (closed head injury), with an intracranial lesion whereby Actinomyces was isolated after surgery, as a co-participant of the mentioned infection besides Fusobacterium and Propionibacterium.
Insights
Pott's puffy tumor (PPT), a rare scalp swelling with bone infection, can occur after head injury. This case details an unusual PPT with Actinomyces brain infection following trauma.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Pott's puffy tumor (PPT) is a rare complication of frontal sinusitis, characterized by scalp swelling, subperiosteal abscess, and cranial osteomyelitis.
- Cranial osteomyelitis caused by Actinomyces is exceptionally rare, with most cases occurring in the mandible.
- Traumatic brain injury can predispose individuals to cranial infections.
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