Brain abscess can be defined as an infection that covers a focus of the brain. Usually the infection is carried to these areas through blood. Its main causes may be spread from neighboring organs such as middle and inner ear infections, sinusitis, dental abscess, and abscess may reach the brain from distant organs, especially in those with valve or wall damage in the heart (tetralogy of Fallot, inflammation of the inner membrane of the heart, congenital heart disease) and in patients with lung infections. There are also causes such as gunshot wounds, head traumas, intracerebral air foci due to skull fractures, previous brain surgeries, and immune system disorders.
Symptoms such as headache, nausea-vomiting, general body weakness, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light, and visual disturbances are observed. High fever may not always be observed. Of course, depending on the severity of the abscess, conditions such as seizures, paralysis, and death may occur. Many people confuse meningitis and brain abscess. While meningitis is a common inflammatory condition in the region of the brain called meninges, brain abscess is inflammation that accumulates in a focus in the inner region of the brain called parenchyma.
Brain abscess treatment is performed by neurosurgeons. A neurosurgeon; In addition to treatments for the spine and spinal cord such as low back pain treatment, herniated disc surgery, cervical disc herniation surgery, it also performs treatments for the brain such as brain surgery, brain tumor surgery, Alzheimer's treatment, brain abscess surgery.
For those with suspected brain abscess. Patients should first be questioned about any heart or lung disease and a detailed physical examination should be performed. Then, blood tests such as blood count, blood biochemistry, CRP and sedimentation should be performed. Brain tomography, brain MRI should be performed, and a lumbar puncture should be performed by the neurosurgeon (collecting cerebrospinal fluid from the waist). While brain abscesses often respond to antibiotic treatment, sometimes they are life-threatening and require surgical drainage.
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