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Background: Lateral sinus thrombosis (LST) is a rare but threatening complication of an acute mastoiditis or infected cholesteatoma. Currently only very few papers are available in the literature dealing with the systematic investigation of patients with suspected LST. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical, intraoperative and therapeutic findings of patients with particular disease., Patients and Methods: For this retrospective study the clinical records of 7 patients which were admitted for a suspected LST were evaluated. All patients underwent mastoidectomy with exposition of the lateral sinus and investigating of its blood flow., Results: A LST was confirmed in 4 patients, 3 patients had a phlebitis. Patients with a LST presented additional symptoms beside otalgia, i. e., dizziness, cephalgia, meningism, deafness of the affected ear, and facial nerve paresis. Postoperative MRI scans revealed a recanalization of the sinus in all cases. Although immediate surgery, 2 patients developed a 2-staged brain abscess in the cerebellum., Conclusion: Clinical symptoms of the SVT are unspecific. In cases of an acute mastoiditis, neurological signs might be pathognomonic and can direct to a LST. Therapeutic concepts comprise intravenous antibiotics and operative elimination of disease. The exposition of the lateral sinus should be performed in any mastoidectomy for a LST in order to scrutinize its blood flow. In case of a thrombosis additional anticoagulative therapy might be indicated. To exclude a 2-staged brain abscess control MRI scans 7 through 14 days postoperatively are recommended., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: A chalazion is a benign, inflammatory tumor of the eyelid caused by an obstruction of the excretory duct of a meibomian gland. Usually a chalazion shows a slow painless and non-inflammatory progression. Interestingly, sinus infections can initially simulate chalazia by causing an orbital involvement with eyelid swelling., Case Report: We report the case of a 15-year-old boy with frontal and ethmoidal sinusitis with inflammatory orbital infiltration and subacute eyelid swelling. The cerebral imaging showed an encapsulated brain abscess so that an urgent surgical removal of the abscess cavity was indicated. After several neurosurgical procedures a complete remission of the abscess could be achieved. In spite of the large abscess in the frontal lobe the boy never showed any neurological or psychiatric symptoms., Conclusion: In atypical courses of a chalazion the clinical picture requires further diagnosis including evaluation and imaging in otorhinolaryngology and neurology.

Subject: Etiologic diagnosis of a retrobulbar process is essential for the initiation of a causative therapy. Penetrating foreign bodies and tooth root abscesses, but also neoplastic processes have to be considered as a differential diagnosis for a retrobulbar swelling. The objective of this case report of a tiger with a retrobulbar process was to demonstrate the diagnostic value of computed tomography for making a causative diagnosis., Material and Methods: General examination of the tiger as well as subsequent computed tomography and surgical extraction of a fractured fourth premolar tooth of the left upper jaw was carried out under general anaesthesia. Collected alveolar tissue samples underwent cytological, histopathological and microbiological analyses., Results and Clinical Relevance: Computed tomography was able to allocate the origin of the retrobulbar abscess to the left 4th premolar tooth of the upper jaw. The cytological, histopathological and microbiological examination of the recovered alveolar material confirmed the diagnosis of purulent-necrotic abscess-forming inflammation as a result of a mixed bacterial infection. The present case report demonstrates the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography for the diagnosis of a retrobulbar process of unknown origin.

Nocardial infections affect mainly the respiratory tract but also can attack the CNS. Clinical experience with cerebral nocardiosis is very limited. We present two patients with very different cerebral affections due to nocardiosis. Cerebral nocardial infections can cause both multiple small abscesses and single large abscesses in the human brain. Despite the rare incidence of cerebral nocardiosis, it is an important differential diagnosis of expansive processes and abscesses in the CNS.

Objective: The otogenic brain abscess remains a serious intracranial complication of otitis media despite advantages in diagnostics and antibiotic treatment during the last decades. We discuss the clinical picture and the possible ways of treatment by the example of two case histories., Case Histories: Case 1: We report about a 38-year-old man, who was suffering in cholsteatoma since 30 years. The surgical revision was restricted by the patient since this time. The acute symptoms of meningitis were caused by intracranial involvement and cerebellar abscess due to cholesteatoma. After surgical revision we observed a period of clinical improvement. A repeated surgery became necessary because of renewed brain abscess at the cerebellar region five weeks after primary operation. Case 2: A 6-year-old girl was already treated with antibiotics because of subacute mastoiditis since three weeks. She was entering the ENT department because of headache and otorrhoea. During mastoidectomy the bone destruction leads to a cerebellar abscess. The neurological symptoms were regredient immediately after the surgical revision., Conclusion: Both case histories underline the importance of cerebellar abscess as an intracranial complication of chronic otitis media. The neurologic symptoms and the CT-scan were essential for the exact diagnosis. The following treatment includes the surgical revision of the middle ear, the abscess-drainage as well as the lavage of the cavity with antibiotics.

Background: The treatment of infectious oral lesions is an important prophylactic procedure preceding immunsuppressive therapy. The case reported underlines the importance of this treatment by showing severe complications of an infective dental focus in an immunocompetent patient., Case Report: A 65 year old patient was referred to hospital due to neurological disorders including hypaesthesia, movement deficits, nausea and falls. Because of progressive aggravation with hemiplegia a craniotomy and biopsy of a suspicious area in the pons was performed. A brain stem abscess caused by Streptococcus viridans was diagnosed. Brain stem abscesses are very rare events who contribute to only about 0.6%-6% of all intracranial abscesses. The intraoral inspection revealed a periodontally diseased and carious affected dentition with many missing teeth. Other foci were ruled out. Because of persistency of the symptoms another operation with abscess drainage was performed. Afterwards the clinical symptoms improved but hemiplegia was still present., Conclusions: Even minor dental procedures as well as existence of a carious or periodontal disease may cause bacteremia with severe septical implications. Patients at risk (e.g. dieases of the heart valves or diabetes) should always treated with an antibiotic prophylaxis before treatment according to the guidelines of the DGZMK. All oro-pharyngeal infectious foci have to be treated sufficiently to prevent sceptical complications. Even more important is the prophylactic treatment preceding chemo- or radiation therapy.

A 45-year-old alcoholic man showing an acute ataxia followed by a central respiratory arrest caused by multiple cerebellar abscesses is hospitalised. We describe here a differential diagnosis of an acute ataxia as well as the cerebral abscess mechanisms and causes.

Brain abscesses are life-threatening and detection and identification of the causative pathogens are crucial for substantiating the diagnosis and for selecting the optimal antibiotic regimen. In approximately 20% of the patients microbiological cultures of abscess material remain sterile. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) provides a methodological alternative, but data about the use of broad spectrum PCR assays to detect the causative pathogens in brain abscesses are rare. We report on the case of a 65-years-old patient with a brain abscess caused by Fusobacterium spp., which was only diagnosed by broad spectrum PCR. To our knowledge this is the second report about a brain abscess, where Fusobacterium spp. was identified only by broad spectrum PCR and subsequent DNA sequencing.

Background: Rhinogenous brain abscesses usually originate from a frontal sinusitis, rarely from the ethmoidal system or the maxillary sinus. However, there are different pathways that can lead to the transfer of a maxillary infection to the endocranial compartment., Patient: A patient with frontal brain abscesses originating from a maxillary sinus infection is presented and diagnostic steps, therapy as well as pathophysiology are discussed., Pathophysiology: The venous plexus of the maxillary sinus drains through the posterior wall of the antrum of Highmore into the deep facial vein that leads into the pterygoid plexus and then through the rete foraminis ovalis into the cavernous sinus. In addition, numerous small veins perforate the osseous roof of the maxillary sinus and enter the orbit joining the superior or inferior ophthalmic vein. They are also connected to the cavernous sinus or the pterygoid plexus. A number of veins perforate the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus communicating with the angular vein that drains into the superior ophthalmic vein and into the cavernous sinus. From the cavernous sinus, the blood arrives at the deep middle cerebral vein that usually communicates through the white substance towards the brain's superficial venous system., Conclusion: The presence of these maxillo-cerebral venous anastomoses explains the spread of infection from the maxillary sinus to the white substance of the brain without any direct association with the base of the skull.

The authors report on 20 immunocompetent patients with brain abscess after 12 cases of middle ear, seven tooth and a single frontal sinus infection. The clinical aspects, hematochemical and microbiological data, the role of imaging diagnostics (CT, MR) and the type of treatment are analysed. Neurosurgery was performed on 17 patients (85%), eight of whom subsequently underwent evacuation of the primary source of infection (four mastoidectomies, two timpanoplasties, two tooth extractions). Mastoidectomy was eventually carried out on one of the three patients who did not undergo neurosurgery. Microbiological diagnosis was possible in nine patients through culture examination: Proteus mirabilis in three cases, Peptostreptococcus sp. in two, Micrococcus varians, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus viridans not typed in single cases. The pus was sterile in eight patients (47.1% of those operated). An association of two antimicrobial agents was used in 18 patients, while in two cases monotherapy was preferred, based on the isolated bacteria. Treatment lasted on average 38 days. The most frequently used therapy regimen (75%) was the association of a beta-lactam drug with chloramphenicol or metronidazole. Therapy was successful in 19/20 patients; one patient died. There was no significant difference in prognostic terms with regard to sex, age, duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis, clinical picture at onset, number and size of abscesses or type of treatment. Recognising the first clinical signs and symptoms (headache, fever, alterations in consciousness, focal neurological deficit, epileptic seizures) is extremely important for prompt diagnosis of brain abscess.

Background: Diagnostic laboratories increasingly offer bacterial identification to the species level. The 17 nocardia species known to date differ in their clinical presentation, antibiotic resistance patterns and geographic distribution. The discovery of a new species with pathogenicity for humans calls for the characterization of its clinical and epidemiological properties., Patients and Methods: Nocardia isolated from multifocal brain abscesses of an immunocompromised patient were further identified by the analysis of their cellular fatty acids and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal DNA. Quantitative antibiotic resistance testing was performed with E-tests., Results: The 16S ribosomal DNA analysis showed a 99 % homology to Nocardia cyriacigeorgici. This is the first report of this species as an invasive human pathogen. N. cyriacigeorgici was found susceptible for meropenem, amikacin, ceftriaxon and cotrimoxazole. The combination of surgical drainage and antibiotic treatment for 13 months was curative., Conclusions: N. cyriacigeorgici has the potential to cause invasive infections at least in immunocompromised patients. Comparing clinical and in vitro characteristics with N. asteroides, the main causative agent of nocardial infections in Europe, we found no clinically relevant differences.

Background: Complications and local extension of dentogenous and paranasal sinus infections most often involve the periorbit and frontal cranium. Because of the widespread use of antibiotics, intracranial extension of maxillofacial sinusitis is rarely seen today. Nevertheless, the clinician must be aware of the potential for these complications, because late recognition of this condition and delay in treatment can increase morbidity and mortality rates., Case Report: A case report of sinogenic intracranial complications is presented, with sinogenic empyema, cerebritis, and subdural empyema. The mechanisms and potential for intracranial spread of infection from the frontal, sphenoid, and ethmoid sinuses are discussed. The management of complications is outlined, including the use of computed tomography and the role of surgical drainage.

The most frequent complications in diverticular disease are local abscess, perforation with peritoneal sepsis, fistula and ileus. Extraabdominal manifestation is an actual rarity. A haematogenous bacterial spread via portal vein with formation of liver abscess has seldom been described. But a complicated diverticular disease as a cause for a brain abscess is an absolute rarity. Our case presents a patient with brain abscess caused by asymptomatic, retroperitoneal perforated colonic diverticulosis. We discuss diagnostic steps both in diverticular disease and brain abscess and different surgical options in the treatment of colonic complicated diverticular disease.

The etiologic pathogens of brain abscesses vary depending on the underlying disease. Aerobic and anaerobic bacteria are frequently involved simultaneously. In most cases, the clinical course is subacute. C-reactive protein is the most sensitive inflammatory parameter in the blood. It is elevated in 80 to 90% of all cases. The diagnosis is made by cranial computer tomography without and with contrast enhancement. The rapid culture of pus from the abscess cavity is crucial for the identification of the pathogen. Antibiotic therapy alone is indicated 1. in the presence of multiple, small and/or deep-seated abscesses or 2. when the general condition of the patient does not allow surgery at an acceptable risk or 3. in early cerebritis without capsule formation. Frequently used surgical procedures are abscess aspiration (usually by stereotaxic surgery), open craniotomy and excision of the abscess with the capsule, and open evacuation of the abscess cavity. For empirical treatment the combination of cefotaxime (3 x 2-4 g/d i.v.) plus metronidazol (3-4 x 0.5 g/d i.v.) is preferred. Corticosteroids are indicated in the presence of a space-occupying effect and imminent brain herniation, or of multiple abscesses and abscesses in critical brain regions such as in the cerebellum.

Background: Otogenic complications are rare but typical following acute or chronic ear infections like mastoiditis and cholesteatoma. A life-threatening sequela is the otogenic brain abscess located in the temporal lobe or cerebellum., Patients: At the ENT Department of the Medical University of Hannover/Germany we treated 8 patients suffering from otogenic brain abscesses in the temporal lobe during the last three years. The average age of the 6 male and 2 female patients was 48 years. In 5 patients the abscess developed due to a cholesteatoma with superinfection. Three cases showed acute mastoiditis. All patients were operated using an otosurgical retroauricular approach, in five cases a classical radical mastoidectomy was performed. In two cases the abscess was reached via mastoidal approach and was subsequently drained. In two other cases the abscess was drained some days later by neurosurgical approach due to increased neurological symptoms. The other patients were treated with high-dosed antibiotics under regular clinical and radiological control., Results: In 7 cases complete regression of the abscess was achieved. Five patients were discharged without further otological or central-nervous problems. One female patient developed severe meningitis with generalized thrombosis of the central blood sinus system and died in central circulatory failure. Two other patients developed a moderate psychopathologic syndrome and were admitted to rehabilitation institutions., Conclusions: The analysis of our patients shows that otogenic brain abscesses should be regarded especially as a severe complication of the untreated cholesteatoma. It is important to use modern imaging modalities like computer tomography or MRI for early detection of the intracerebral lesion and to perform an early otosurgical intervention. Under antibiotics and CT control, healing of this severe complication can be achieved in most cases. However, the danger of acute and chronic ear diseases has to be kept in mind in all medical disciplines.

Processes in the middle ear can occasionally lead to clinical disorders extending beyond the anatomic boundaries of the area of the mastoid process. In contrast to this, pathological processes of the areas adjoining the middle ear might also lead to secondary involvement of the tympanic area. The report describes an initially asymptomatic epidural hematoma, which secondarily led to involvement of the middle ear. In general, such cases affecting the middle ear will produce symptoms usually interpreted as primary middle ear pathology. This association shows which disorders must be considered, the differential diagnosis and methods of therapy.

Background: Orbital or endocranial complications of sinusitis are rare clinical syndromes in infancy., Methods: We retrospectively examined the complications that occurred and the role of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FES)., Results: Most of the complications were caused by acute inflammation of the ethmoid or sphenoid cells with direct extension through dehiscent areas (flat bone) or neurovascular foramina. MRT had the highest sensitivity in detecting acute inflammatory foci. Early elimination of the cause of inflammation by FESS prevents spread of the complication. Advantages of FESS included better orientation and surgical access to the paranasal system of infants. The orbital complications were treated by surgical exploration of the communication pathways by a new endoscopic speculum., Conclusion: Early elimination of acute inflammatory foci by FESS prevents spread of infection in complications of paranasal sinusitis in infancy.

Background: After introduction of antibiotics endocranial complications in otitis media are less common, but there are still diagnostic and therapeutic problems., Patients: 124 patients (5 months-16 years) underwent mastoidectomy. The number, type and therapy of otitic complications is presented., Results: Nine percent of the patients showed up with endocranial complications. Besides lateral sinus thrombosis (five patients), meningitis (five patients) and epidural abscess (five patients), one cerebral and one cerebellar abscess was found. Four patients developed more than one complication., Therapy: A complete mastoidectomy was performed with exploration of the dura and punction of the lateral sinus. In several cases these procedures gave the first diagnostic hint for endocranial complications., Conclusion: The occurrence of endocranial complications in the era of antibiotics should not be underestimated. Cholesteatoma is still a main risk factor for severe complications. If there is any doubt, further imaging studies (CT, MRI) are necessary. Diagnosis and therapy makes a close cooperation between neurosurgeon and ear surgeon and other specialties mandatory.

Abscesses of the base of skull, if not correctly managed, can lead to the intracranial spread of infection - a life-threatening complication. Infection can spread from the upper and lower molar teeth through the retromaxillary area or the parapharyngeal space to reach the temporal, infratemporal or pterygopalatine fossa. Our recommended treatment of abscesses in these fossae is wide abscess incision together with resection of the midsection of the zygomatic arch ("Partsch method"). Two case reports are included. The first report is of a patient with cerebral abscess caused by an oral infection. The second report is of a case in which zygomatic arch reconstruction was necessary after its partial resection for abscess treatment. A new alloplastic bone-substitute material made from coral was used in the reconstruction.

Spontaneous intracranial abscesses are quite rare in western industrial countries. According to the recently published papers, each neurosurgical centre is expecting 2 to 4 cases a year. Whereas in the last three years we only operated on one or two cases a year we treated 8 cases in the first ten months of 1994. Although this remarkable increase is not statistically significant, further observations seem to be indicated. In 5 cases the origin of the abscess remained unknown. 3 patients had odontogeneous focuses, 2 middle ear and 2 pulmonary infections. One patient was operated on for spontaneous liver abscess few days before. Streptococcus was found in 9 cases, Bacteroides, Nocardia and Rhodoturola in 1 case each. For one patient no pathogen could be detected. In regard of our results, minimal invasive neurosurgical aspiration of the abscess with adjacent longterm antibiotic therapy gives a good prognosis with little morbidity. In contrast the mortality rate rises if diagnostic procedures are delayed or if the detected microorganism is highly resistant to current antibiotics.

The case report of a 54-year-old patient with a right frontal intracerebral abscess 48 years after a missile injury is presented. Treatment included surgical evacuation and antibiotic therapy. The patient was discharged without neurological deficit.

A 27-year-old patient with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, and multifocal lung-perfusion suddenly developed headache and left facial sensory disturbances. Using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging a temporo-parietal brain abscess was diagnosed. After abscess aspiration and antibiotical therapy neurological signs disappeared immediately and the patient could leave hospital without any neurological deficit. Adult patients with congenital cyanotic heart disease are at risk to develop a brain abscess which should therefore be ruled out if headache, fever of unknown origin or focal neurologic signs occur.

A group of 318 patients suffering from severe head injury, 51 of whom died of their (head) injury, is reviewed. A small contusional cerebral haemorrhage had occurred in 50.6%, and 30% had had basal skull fractures. In the entire group, 2.8% developed posttraumatic hydrocephalus. Shunt implantation was necessary between the 11th and 123rd posttraumatic days (mean 52nd). All patients with inflammatory problems, e.g. meningitis or intracranial abscess, developed posttraumatic hydrocephalus. In 10 of the 12 patients with hygromas, an operative procedure with bur hole trepanation was necessary. Half of the patients with hygromas were polytraumatized but only 25.85% of the entire group. Two patients in the group and a further 49 patients with chronic subdural haematomas were operated on by a bur hole trepanation and appropriate drainage for several days. In 2 cases the development of the chronic subdural haematoma had been documented by CAI. All patients with frontobasal skull fractures were operated on by a transethmoidal approach only the 1st day. Only 2 of the laterobasal skull fractures needed an operation. One of these caused was by a pneumocephalus. In 0.9% of the patients an intracranial abscess was present; these all had a basal skull fracture, 1 after gunshot injury. Among the patients with basal skull fractures 3.1% developed carotid artery-cavernous sinus fistula. One of these three fistulas has been documented as yielding to spontaneous closure. After reangiography for balloon occlusion an aneurysm was found. Following primary operation, 2.5% of patients required revision operation because of renewed bleeding. The posttraumatic treatment of the complications is discussed.

Two patients with infectious complications 3 and 5 days after elective sclerotherapy of esophageal varices are presented. Both patients had liver cirrhosis (primary biliary cirrhosis and alcoholic liver cirrhosis with hepatitis B virus infection respectively). In one patient a brain abscess developed which was treated successfully by antibiotics and surgery; in the other patient pneumococcal bacteremia and gonarthritis developed. Frequency, possible causes and antibiotic prophylaxis are discussed.

The case is presented of a 37-year-old male with a cerebellar abscess due to Actinomyces israelii. The patient was admitted after dental surgery because of fever and symptoms indicative of raised, intracranial pressure. No abnormalities were detected in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid. CT scan revealed a space-occupying lesion in the left cerebellar hemisphere with perifocal oedema and occlusive hydrocephalus. After emergency external ventriculostomy complete removal of the mass was achieved in a two-stage surgical procedure. Culture of the pus under anaerobic conditions resulted in a growth of Actinomyces israelii, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and Bifidobacterium adolescentis. A 20-day regimen of antibiotics including penicillin G 10 million U x 3/d and clindamycin 900 mg x 3/d was administered. The patient made a full recovery. Pathogenesis and therapeutic principles of CNS infections due to Actinomyces israellii are discussed.

Eight months after sustaining a reversible left motor hemisyndrome, predominantly of the arm, a 47-year-old man known to have hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler's disease) again developed neurological symptoms (headache, vertigo, unsteady gait) with fever (up to 38.5 degrees C). Clinical features and findings on computed tomography indicated a cerebellar abscess. This was resected because it continued to enlarge despite antibiotic treatment with daily 2 g ceftriaxone and twice daily 0.5 g ornidazole. As another manifestation of Osler's disease further tests revealed an arteriovenous malformation (2.5 x 2.0 cm) in the right upper lobe of the lung, presumably the cause of the cerebral abscess. After wedge resection of the anterior upper lobe segment the further course was without complications.

The authors report on one case of an abscess at the pyramidal apex. The 52-year old male patient presented with pareses of the fifth and seventh cranial nerves and hypacusis on the right side. After diagnostic procedures (CT-scan, carotid angiography), a tumor at the apex of the right pyramid was expected. During surgery a large encapsulated mass was found containing pus. A bacterial agent could not be isolated. The abscess bordered on the mucosal lining of the sphenoid sinus and on the cells of mastoid bone. The starting point of an abscess at the pyramidal apex is most commonly an otitis media, most frequently caused by staphylococcus. Sterile abscesses are seen in almost 20%. Of differential diagnosis on has to keep in mind other space-occupying lesions especially epidermoid or dermoid cysts.

A 30-year-old Vietnamese patient is reported who was admitted with a resistant acute otitis externa, and who complained also of headache and fever. The symptoms were found to be caused by the intracranial complications (epidural abscess and bacterial meningitis) of an aural cholesteatoma. A secondary occlusive hydrocephalus developed in spite of successful otological surgery that preserved hearing and vestibular function.

According to the literature and on the basis of the case reported in this paper of rhinocerebral mucoraceae mycosis we summarize the characteristic features as follows: mucoraceae--mycoses--common, but wrong term: "mucormycoses"--are a group of infections caused by members of the family mucoraceae (Mucor, Rhizomucor, Rhizopus, Absidia species)--most frequently by Rhizopus species. Primarily the fungi enter the pharynx or nose, local infections or trauma being a prerequisite. The most important predisposing factor is diabetes mellitus. Invading the tissue and causing vascular thrombosis the infection frequently takes an acute, often fulminating and fatal course. Acute sinusitis accompanied by swelling of the cheek and protrusion of the eye in a diabetic, particularly with acidosis, are pathognomonic. Diagnosis is confirmed by microscopic examination of infected tissue (unstained smear or histologically). Since systemically administered antifungals have not proved very effective in these myoses, mainly because an adequate tissue level can hardly be achieved, the most effective and curative treatment is surgical removal of infected tissue, simultaneous control of diabetes being mandatory.

Acute and chronic ear infection can lead to intracranial complications, brain abscess and meningitis being the most serious. The clinical picture, diagnosis and therapeutic guidelines are discussed. The important role of interdisciplinary management is emphasised by a case report.

An account is given of experience recorded from 15 patients who had been surgically treated for head injuries from animal stunning guns. All of them were male patients and were aged from 19 to 66 years. All cases were attempted suicides. Three patients died, including one of pyocephalus and two of injuries of vital structures. Eight patients whose first treatment had been restricted to wound suturing developed dangerous intracranial purulence. Seven patients of this group survived, following treatment of the bullet path. Patients with such injuries can be saved, if wound dressing is accompanied by removal of foreign bodies, bone fragments, blood clots, and devitalised tissue and if the dura mater is sealed watertight.

The subdural empyema is a severe inflammatory cerebral affection and shows some diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Extracerebral infections especially in the rhinogenous and otogenic region represent the most frequent cause of the subdural empyema. Seven cases, treated between 1982 and 1986 in our department, are the base to discuss the problems of symptomatology, differential diagnosis and therapy. The treatment of choice is a sudden craniotomy in combination with a through-drainage and administration of antibiotics.

On the basis of the example of two observations by the author the diagnostic and therapeutical problems of the esthesioneuroblastoma are discussed. Neurosurgical problems result from the growing of the tumor into the inner space of the skull or the destruction of the anterior base of the skull with subsequent inflammatory consequences.

On the basis of 6 cases of late cerebral abscesses after lesions caused by shell-splinters treated by us, clinic, diagnostics and therapy of this complication are discussed in detail. In 3 patients there were no direct relations between the splinters and the abscesses so that further factors (age, vascular wall changes, and the like) must play a role in the formation of the abscesses; such vascular wall fibroses were found histologically in 3 of the examined abscess capsules. In 3 cases the bacteriological identification of the pathogens was possible. The treatment was carried out by employing puncture or extirpation or the combination of the two methods.

In 16 cases of brain abscess (1970 to 1976) 10 could be identified to be bacteriologically sterile. However in 5 cases of "sterile" cerebral abscesses, where swabs were taken under anaerobic conditions, it was possible to isolate anaerobic bacteria in every case. It is concluded that in reality thse so-called "sterile" brain abscesses were also contaminated with anaerobes.

In spite of refined diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities, the cerebral abscess continues to be a disease involving great risks. A comparison of surgically treated groups of patients of the periods 1954 to 1962 and 1963 to 1977 does not show any reduction in lethality. This amounted to 15 per cent for the first group and 17.6 per cent for the second group. Extirpation of cerebral abscesses shows the most favourable results of treatment as compared to other surgical procedures. In our opinion, however, it will not remain the only method of treatment in future because it can only be employed if the patient is in a condition permitting an operation. That is why the open abscess treatment will continue to be justified for all cases where cerebral abscesses occur in combination with subdural or epidural empyemas. Certainly, modern anaesthesia methods as well as intensive pre- and postoperative therapy will further reduce the number of patients who are subjected to a primary puncture treatment. Since 1972, we have treated our patients exclusively by abscess exstirpations. Until 1977, none of the total number of 12 patients treated by us has died. We consider the use of scintigraphic and EEG controls of inflammatory cerebral processes to be of decisive importance. These controls enable a differentiation between diffuse and local inflammatory processes which are accompanied by a liquefaction and in this way permit the selection of the optimum time of operation. A basic condition, however, will always be a good interdisciplinary co-operation with infection departments, paediatric and ENT hospitals where in most cases patients suffering from brain abscesses are first admitted.

When taking the clinical and EEG findings into consideration, computer-tomographic control provides the possibility to treat localised inflammatory cerebral affections by conservative methods or to heal cerebral abscesses exclusively by systematic puncture and antibiotic treatment. Descriptions of cases including patients with seven brain abscesses treated with conservative means and two patients in each of whom a brain abscess was puncture are presented. In all cases, complete healing was achieved.

Between 1953-1984 we treated 64 otogenic brain abscesses (44 of the temporal lobe and 20 of the cerebellum). This material included 2 cerebral abscesses and 1 cerebellum abscess in children. In 3 cases the abscess was a complication of acute otitis media. 84% of patients with a temporal lobe abscess and 85% with a cerebellar abscess recovered. Treatment consisted of removal of the inflammatory process in the middle or inner ear with subsequent puncture of the abscess and replacement of the pus by antibiotic solution. Otologic, neurologic, ophthalmolgic, EEG and CT examinations were performed on 50 patients. Residual signs of epilepsy were found in 6 patients. Forty one patients resumed work or study. The merit of computer tomography (CT) in diagnosing brain abscesses is emphasized. Since CT has been used a successful outcome has been obtained in 8 cases and a fatal result in 1.

Osteomyelitis in the skull region is encountered preferably as a postoperative, but also as a posttraumatic lesion, furthermore it occurs in case of infection of the paranasal sinuses or, rarely, as hematogenic metastasis. The routine treatment comprises a careful wound cleaning with excision of fistula, resection of the osteomyelitic bone and ablation of all purulent and devital tissues, eventually sanitation of an infected paranasal sinus. Between six and twelve months after the healing of the infection, the bone defect is closed by plastic surgery. In 1976, we have introduced Refobacin-Palacos R for the local treatment of the infection with simultaneous definitive closing of the bone defect in case of osteomyelitis of the skull. 44 patients have been treated since with this method. The rate of reinfection was 3% in osteomyelitis of the calotte without involvement of the sinuses and 25% in case of involvement of the frontal sinuses. A twofold method has been developed in order to reduce the relatively high frequency of reinfection in case of involvement of the frontal sinuses. The wound cleaning with revision of the frontal sinuses and parenteral administration of antibiotic drugs was performed as usual. An additional local treatment of the infected frontal sinuses was performed by implantation of Septopal chains which were removed ten to fourteen days later. During the same session the nasal excretory ducts were closed and the frontal sinuses largely filled up with muscle pieces together with a compound of spongiosa, fibrin, and antibiotic. The remaining bone gap was closed with Refobacin-Palacos R. A significantly decreased reinfection rate is anticipated with this twofold procedure, however, a clear statement is not yet possible due to the small number of cases and the relatively short follow-up period.

Report on 71 successful intraoperative sonographies. The advantages of the technique were particularly evident when searching for tumours which were not visible from the brain surface. In these conditions intraoperative sonography greatly facilitates the planning of the operative approach. The ultrasound examination allows to distinguish tumour from peritumoral edema and healthy tissues. In one case it proved superior to nuclear magnetic and computer tomography in determining extent and infiltration. The technique proved nearly indispensable for intraoperative puncture.