Factors influencing the surveillance of re-emerging intracranial infections in elective neurosurgical patients:A single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND At present,many studies have reported the risk factors for postoperative intracranial reinfection,including age,sex,time to surgery,duration of postoperative catheterization,emergency procedures,type of disease and cerebrospinal fluid leakage,but the academic community has not reached a unified conclusion.AIM To find factors influencing the surveillance of re-emerging intracranial infections in elective neurosurgical patients.METHODS Ninety-four patients who underwent elective craniotomy from January 1,2015 to December 31,2022 in the Department of Neurosurgery,First Hospital of Jilin University,were included in this study.Of those,45 patients were enrolled in the infection group,and 49 were enrolled in the control group.The clinical data of the patients were collected and divided into three categories,including preoperative baseline conditions,intraoperative characteristics and postoperative infection prevention.The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 software.RESULTS There were 23 males and 22 females in the infection group with a mean age of 52.8±15.1 years and 17 males and 32 females in the control group with a mean age of 48.9±15.2 years.The univariate analysis showed that the infection group had higher systolic blood pressures and postoperative temperatures,fewer patients who underwent a supratentorial craniotomy,more patients with a history of hypertension and higher initial postoperative white blood cell counts than the control group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that a history of hypertension and a high postoperative body temperature were independent risk factors for postoperative infection in neurosurgical patients.CONCLUSION The results obtained in this study indicated that a history of hypertension and a high postoperative body temperature were independent risk factors for postoperative neurological symptoms.

Report of Haemophilus Influenzae serotype a intracranial infections in older children

Introduction:Haemophilus influenzae(Hi)is subdivided into typeable(a-f)and non-typeable groups.Hi serotype b(Hib)has historically been one of the important pathogens responsible for invasive infection.However,after widespread Hib vaccination,the emergence of other Hi serotypes,specifically Hi serotype a(Hia),was noted during the last few decades,mostly in children younger than 5 years of age.Case presentation:We present two cases of severe intracranial infections with detected Hia in patients>5 years of age within a short time frame and within the same geographic area.Conclusion:Epidemiological studies and surveillance on Hia-related illnesses in all age groups worldwide are needed to better understand the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of Hia.This can establish a platform to develop a candidate vaccine against Hia that might protect children of all ages.

Successful treatment of invasive liver abscess syndrome caused by Klebsiella variicola with intracranial infection and septic shock:A case report

BACKGROUND Klebsiella variicola(K.variicola)is a member of the Klebsiella genus and is often misidentied as Klebsiella pneumoniae.In this report,we present a rare case of invasive liver abscess caused by K.variicola.CASE SUMMARY We report a rare case of liver abscess due to K.variicola.A 57-year-old female patient presented with back pain for a month.She developed a high-grade fever associated with chills,and went into a coma and developed shock.The clinical examinations and tests after admission confirmed a diagnosis of primary liver abscess caused by K.variicola complicated by intracranial infection and septic shock.The patient successfully recovered following early percutaneous drainage of the abscess,prompt appropriate antibiotic administration,and timely open surgical drainage.CONCLUSION This is a case of successful treatment of invasive liver abscess syndrome caused by K.variicola,which has rarely been reported.The findings of this report point to the need for further study of this disease.

Intracranial infection accompanied sweet’s syndrome in a patient with anti-interferon-γautoantibodies:A case report

BACKGROUND Several reports of adult-onset immunodeficiency syndrome have been associated with anti-interferon-gamma(IFN-γ)autoantibodies(AIGAs).However,it is rare to find AIGAs with intracranial infections.CASE SUMMARY In this case study,we report a case of an AIGAs with intracranial infection and hand rashes considered Sweet’s syndrome.The patient presented to our hospital with a persistent cough,a fever that had been going on for 6 mo,and a rash that had been going on for a week.The patient started losing consciousness gradually on the fourth day after admission,with neck stiffness and weakened limb muscles.The upper lobe of the left lung had a high-density mass with no atypia and a few inflammatory cells in the interstitium.Brain magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid suggest intracranial infection.The pathology of the skin damage on the right upper extremity revealed an infectious lesion that was susceptible to Sweet’s disease.It has an anti-IFN-γautoantibody titer of 1:2500.She was given empirical anti-non-tuberculous mycobacterial and antifungal treatments.The patient had no fever,obvious cough,headache,or rash on the hand.She got out of bed and took care of herself following hospitalization and discharge with medicine.CONCLUSION Adults with severe and recurrent infections of several organs should be considered for AIGAs if no other known risk factors exist.AIGAs are susceptible to subsequent intracranial infections and Sweet’s syndrome.

Sequential intraventricular injection of tigecycline and polymyxin B in the treatment of intracranial Acinetobacter baumannii infection after trauma: a case report and review of the literature

Background:Intracranial infection after craniotomy is one of the most serious postoperative complications,especially multidrug-resistant(MDR)or extensively drug-resistant(XDR)bacterial meningitis,and strongly affects the prognosis of patients.Current treatment experience regarding these infections is scarce.Case presentation:We report a case of severe intracranial infection of XDR Acinetobacter baumannii(A.baumannii)that was treated by intravenous(IV)injection,sequential intraventricular(IVT)injection of tigecycline and polymyxin B,and other anti-infective drugs.Good results were obtained,and the patient was eventually discharged from the hospital.This case is characterized by intracranial infection.Conclusions:The polymyxin B IV+IVT pathway is an ideal treatment strategy for XDR A.baumannii.The tigecycline IVT pathway is also a safe treatment option.

Application value analysis of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in the diagnosis of intracranial infection after craniocerebral surgery

BACKGROUND Intracranial infection is a common clinical disease.Computed tomography(CT)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)have certain sensitivity and have good diagnostic efficacy.AIM To study the application value of MRI and CT in the diagnosis of intracranial infection after craniocerebral surgery.METHODS We selected 82 patients who underwent craniocerebral surgery(including 40 patients with intracranial infection and 42 patients without infection)during the period from April 2016 to June 2019 in our hospital.All 82 patients received CT and MRI examinations,and their clinical data were reviewed.A retrospective analysis was performed,and the coincidence rate of positive diagnosis and the overall diagnosis coincidence rate of different pathogenic infection types were measured with the two examination methods.The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity as well as the positive and negative predictive values of the two examination methods were compared.RESULTS For all types of pathogenic infections(Staphylococcus aureus,Staphylococcus hemolyticus,Staphylococcus epidermidis,and others),MRI scans had higher positive diagnostic coincidence rates than CT scans;the overall diagnostic coincidence rate,sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,and negative predictive values were significantly higher with MRI examinations than with CT examinations,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).CONCLUSION MRI examination can accurately diagnose intracranial infection after clinical craniocerebral surgery.Compared with CT,MRI had higher diagnostic efficiency.The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity,the diagnostic coincidence rate,and the positive and negative predictive values were significantly higher with MRI than with conventional CT,which can be actively promoted.

Long-term control of melanoma brain metastases with co-occurring intracranial infection and involuntary drug reduction during COVID- 19 pandemic: A case report

BACKGROUND Melanoma brain metastasis is a common cause of death in melanoma patients andis associated with a poor prognosis. There are relatively few reports onintracranial infections after brain metastasis resection.CASE SUMMARY Here we report a case of melanoma brain metastases in a patient harboring aBRAF V600E mutation, who experienced intracranial tumor progression despiteprevious combined treatment with a programmed death (PD)-1 inhibitor, axitinib,and vemurafenib. She repeatedly underwent local therapy, including stereotacticradiosurgery and intracranial surgery, and developed central nervous systeminfection. Treatment with vemurafenib combined with cobimetinib resulted in anintracranial progression-free survival of 10 mo. During the coronavirus disease2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the patient did not visit the hospital for regularvemurafenib treatment, and experienced intracranial progression afterinvoluntary drug reduction for 1 mo. The patient subsequently received varioussystemic treatments including vemurafenib, PD-1 inhibitor, and chemotherapy,with an overall survival of 29 mo as of September 2020.CONCLUSION We report the first case of melanoma brain metastases with co-occurringintracranial infection and unintended drug reduction during the COVID-19outbreak. Long-term control of the intracranial lesions was achieved withsystemic and local therapies.

The clinical analysis of three methods in the treatment of intracranial bacterial infection

Objective To analyze the effect of three therapeutic methods to find an optimal approach to the treatment of intracranial bacterial infection by retrospectively reviewing 33 intracranial bacterial infection patients who were admitted from 1995 to 2008 in our hospital.Methods The treatments by intermittent lumbar puncture,continuous lumbar subarachnoid space drainage,and embedment of Ommaya cyst for continuous drainage from the ventricles were performed in 15 cases,12 cases,and 6 cases respectively along with intravenous application of full dose of antibiotics.Results Nineteen cases were cured and the best prognosis was from the group of Ommaya cyst embedment and continuous drainage from the ventricles.Conclusion Management goals are prompt recognition of the central nervous system(CNS)infection,rapid identification of causative organisms and initiation of treatment with the optimal management methods for complications.Embedment of Ommaya cyst for continuous drainage from the ventricle is a safe and effective treatment for intracranial bacterial infection.

Clinical Analysis of Lumbar Pool Drainage Combined with Antibiotics in the Treatment of Intracranial Infection

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of lumbar pool drainage combined with antibiotics in the treatment of patients with intracranial infections, and to provide a reference basis for clinical treatment. Methods: To collect and select patients admitted to the First People’s Hospital of Jingzhou City for craniotomy from January 2016 to June 2022, the infected were 20 cases, and continuous drainage of the lumbar pool was used under the premise of systemic application of sensitive antibiotics. Results: Twenty cases in this group were discharged cured. Conclusion: Lumbar pool placement drainage combined with systemic application of antibiotics for intracranial infection is a safe and effective treatment method.

Prevention of postoperative intracranial infection in patients with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea

Background Intracranial infection is a common postoperative complication of neurosurgery. This study aimed to identify risk factors of postoperative intracranial infection in patients with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea and to suggest proposals for the prevention. Methods A total of 167 patients （113 males and 54 males, average age of 34.4 years） with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea operated on by the senior author were retrospectively reviewed. The data collected included etiology, previous history, clinical manifestation, site of bone defect, operative approach, and postoperative complications. Risk factor（s） for postoperative infection were analyzed using the stepwise multiple Logistic regression. Results Eighteen （10.8%） patients were infected post-operatively. The independent risk factors for infection were the site of defect （RR=0.508, 95% Cl 0.306-0.843, P=0.009） and historical meningitis （RR=0.290, 95% Cl 0.094-0.893, P=0.031）. Patients with multiple defects and saddle floor defects had a higher infection rate. The germiculture was positive in 11 patients, and vancomycin was sensitive to all the pathogenesis. Nine infected patients needed lumbar drainage. Ten patients had hyponatremia, and hydrocephalus occurred in two patients with serious trauma. Conclusions To prevent the infection, we should pay closer attention to the high-risk patients pre-operation. During the operation, the methods those can improve wound healing, such as using blood-supply materials, reliable fixation, and eliminating dead space are all helpful. Conducting lumbar drainage and choosing effective prophylactic antibiotics in the early postoperative stage for the high-risk patients are methods of postoperative management.

Analysis on the risk factors of intracranial infection secondary to traumatic brain injury

Objective： To discuss the characteristics and risk factors for intracranial infection post traumatic brain injury to prevent and better the clinical care. Methods： Retrospective study of 520 patients with traumatic brain injury were included, 308 male and 212 female. The risky factors of intracranial infection were identified. Results： Thirty two cases （6.54%, 321520） of intracranial infection were diagnosed, lntracranial infection most likely happened 4-10 days after injury. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage, drainage, multiple craniotomies were significant related to intracranial infection. Logistic regression predicted cerebrospinal fluid leakage and drainage as independent factors. Conclusion： Intracranial infection is a serious complication after traumatic brain injury, Patients with drainage or cerebrospinal fluid leakage are more risky for intracranial infection, Aggressive precaution should be taken to better outcome.

Preliminary exploration of the development of a collagenous artificial dura mater for sustained antibiotic release

Background Intracranial infection is one of the most common complications of open craniocerebral injury and of conventional craniotomy in neurosurgery. The presence of blood-brain barrier leads to lower drug concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid than in the venous blood. Increasing the intravenous dosage or frequency carries the risk of systemic adverse reactions or infections in other parts of the body. Developing an artificial dura mater （ADM） for sustained antibiotic release for use during neurosurgery can solve the problems perfectly. Methods Three types of drug-loaded ADMs made of collagen and containing cefuroxime sodium, ceftriaxone sodium, or norvancomycin were prepared. The antibacterial activity and sustained release characteristics of the ADMs were examined using bacteriostatic and release tests. Results Single-layered collagen based ADMs （40 mm×50 mm×5 mm） containing 18 mg cefuroxime sodium or ceftriaxone sodium were not suitable for continued development because of drug preservation and stability issues. Using smaller ADMs （20 mm30 mm×7 mm）, containing 4.86 mg of norvancomycin, with increased collagen density and a three-layered film with two outer drug-free films above and below the antibiotic layer resulted in sustained cumulative release of 2.91 mg （59.9%） of norvancomycin over 72 hours. The similar factor （f2） comparison method proved that products from a same batch were statistically significant similar （f2 〉50）. Conclusions Artificial ADMs made of collagen can be processed to provide a mature dural repair material for the sustained release of norvancomycin. This system may provide a basis for developing sustained release materials for other drugs.

Advantages of using a prophylactic epidural closed drain and non-watertight dura suture in a craniotomy near the“parietal site”

Background:In neurosurgery,the necessity of having a drainage tube is controversial.Subgaleal fluid collection(SFC)often occurs,especially in a craniotomy near the“parietal site”.This study aimed to reassess the benefit of using a prophylactic epidural drainage(ED)and non-watertight dura suture in a craniotomy near the parietal site.Methods:A retrospective review was conducted on 63 consecutive patients who underwent a craniotomy near the parietal site.The patients were divided into two groups according to different period.The deal group received ED and a non-watertight dura suture(drain group,DG),the control group that did not(non-drain group,NDG).Complications and patient recovery were evaluated and analysed.Results:Three patients(11.5%,26)in DG and 20 patients(54.1%,37)in NDG presented with SFC(p<0.05).One patient(3.8%)in DG and three patients(8.1%)in NDG presented with subdural tensile hydrops(STH)(p>0.05).Six developed an infection in NDG(four intracranial infections,one abscess,one pulmonary infection),while none in DG(p>0.05)developed infection.Three(11.5%)cases in DG and one(2.7%)case in NDG had muscle strength that improved postoperatively(p>0.05).Fifteen(57.7%)in DG and 14(37.8%)in NDG had epileptic seizures less frequently postoperatively(p<0.05).The average temperature(37.4°C vs 37.6°C,p>0.05),the maximum temperature(37.9°C vs 38.1°C,p>0.05)on 3 PODs,the postoperative hospital stay day(7.5 days vs 8.0 days,p>0.05),and the postoperative medicine fee(¥29762.0 vs¥28321.0,p>0.05)were analysed.Conclusion:In patients who undergo a craniotomy near the parietal site,the prophylactic use of ED and a nonwatertight dura suture helps reduce SFC,infection,and control epilepsy.