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Epidermoid cyst and abscess following titanium mesh cranioplasty: A rare case report
Yiping Dai1, Xiaochun Lu2, Xiuluan Du3
1Department of Neurosurgery, Zhangjiagang Third People's Hospital, Zhangjiagang, China.
Background:
The development of a slowly enlarging epidermoid cyst (EC) near a scalp incision following titanium mesh cranioplasty (TMC), with subsequent progression to an epidural abscess after resection, represents an exceedingly rare iatrogenic complication.
Case Description:
A 68-year-old male, who had undergone decompressive craniectomy followed by staged bilateral TMC 5 years earlier for traumatic brain injury, presented with a solitary scalp mass that had been noted 1 year prior. Six months after the mass was resected, the patient developed an epidural abscess. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of an EC, chronic inflammation, and Staphylococcus epidermidis growth.
Conclusion:
This case suggests that the EC and subsequent abscess were likely related to the prior TMC, highlighting this clinical course as a rare but serious iatrogenic complication of the procedure.
