Caracterización de los abscesos cerebrales en pacientes atendidos en un hospital universitario de alta complejidad

Introduction

Cerebral or encephalic abscess, a focal infection of the brain parenchymal tissue that causes inflammation and necrosis, which leads to a circumscribed collection of purulent exudate.

Objective

To determine the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with brain abscesses treated in a high complexity hospital.

Methods

A descriptive observational study was carried out, which included people over 18 years of age with brain abscesses treated at the San Rafael de Tunja University Hospital who were identified by ICD 10 codes related to brain abscesses (A066, B431, and G060). Sociodemographic, clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic variables are included.

Results

Forty-three patients were included. 76.74% male, mean age 49.46 years (±22.49). The clinical presentation on admission is evaluated by the presence of headache and/or involvement of some mental sphere. The most frequent tomographic finding was in the frontal lobe in 37.2%.

Conclusions

It is a serious central nervous system (CNS) infection that can have great repercussions. They can be prevented if possible sources of initial infection are treated promptly. Once it is established, it is important to carry out therapeutic measures as soon as possible in order to quickly control the infection and reduce the sequelae.