The underlying causes and management of intracranial subdural empyema in the neurosurgery department, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital
Date
2017
Authors
Makhambeni, Wilheminah Hendrika
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Abstract
Intracranial subdural empyema (SDE) is a potentially life-threatening condition. A retrospective
study of the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital’s neurosurgery unit’s SDE patients
revealed a mean age of presentation of 15 years and male predominance (70%). In 61.7% SDE was
linked with sinusitis and in 83% with immunocompetence. There was a statistically significant
correlation between immunocompromise and death (40% mortality rate in the
immunocompromised subset). Among the patients’ culture positive specimen, 57.1% yielded a
Streptococcus spp., gram negative isolates were found in patients with immunocompromise or
previous head trauma/surgery, and 78.6% of the micro-organisms were sensitive to 3rd generation
cephalosporins. There was an 86.7% survival rate. A determinant of residual neurological deficit
could not be found among the parameters investigated.
Keywords: intracranial subdural empyema, complicated sinusitis, burrholes