Cerebral abscesses of unknown origin. General report

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Cerebral abscesses of unknown origin are a significant clinical challenge.
• They represent 13.3% of all cerebral abscesses in the analyzed cohort.
• Understanding their unique aspects is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the etio-pathogenic, anatomo-pathological, clinical, and therapeutic features of cryptogenic cerebral abscesses.
• To outline prognostic factors and neuropsychical issues associated with surgical interventions.
• To present a comprehensive analysis of a personal series of 108 cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 108 cases of cerebral abscesses of unknown origin.
• Review of etio-pathogenic, anatomo-pathological, clinical, and therapeutic data.
• Evaluation of prognostic factors and postoperative neuropsychical sequelae.

Main Results:

• Cryptogenic cerebral abscesses accounted for 13.3% of 810 total cases.
• Significant diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties were encountered.
• A high incidence of postoperative neuropsychical sequelae (70%) was observed.
• The overall mortality rate was 29.7%.

Conclusions:

• Cerebral abscesses of unknown origin pose considerable diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
• Postoperative neuropsychical sequelae are a major concern, affecting a large proportion of patients.
• The high mortality rate underscores the severity of this condition and the need for improved management strategies.