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Management of brain abscesses: where are we now?

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Abstract

Introduction

Brain abscesses affect all age groups and are not peculiar to a particular country, race, or geographical location. It is a disease that, in the past, carried a high morbidity and mortality. With improvements in medical technology and expertise, outcomes have improved tremendously. The causative organisms vary vastly and have evolved with time. Treatment of brain abscesses is primarily with antimicrobial therapy but surgery plays a vital role in achieving better outcomes.

Content

In this article, we review the literature to find out how the epidemiology of this disease has changed through the years and re-visit the basic pathological process of abscess evolution and highlight the new research in the biochemical pathways that initiate and regulate this process. We also highlight how magnetic resonance imaging and its various modalities have improved diagnostic accuracy. Finally, we discuss the pros and cons of traditional open surgery versus newer minimally invasive methods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore

    Minwei Chen, David C. Y. Low, Sharon Y. Y. Low & Wan Tew Seow

  2. Neurosurgical Service, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

    David C. Y. Low, Sharon Y. Y. Low & Wan Tew Seow

  3. Singhealth Duke-NUS Neuroscience Academic Clinical Program, Singapore, Singapore

    David C. Y. Low, Sharon Y. Y. Low & Wan Tew Seow

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, King Edward VII Memorial hospital, Mumbai, India

    Dattatraya Muzumdar

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  1. Minwei Chen
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Chen, M., Low, D.C.Y., Low, S.Y.Y. et al. Management of brain abscesses: where are we now?. Childs Nerv Syst 34, 1871–1880 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-018-3886-7

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