Martínez-Hernández L, Cornejo-Juárez P

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 132-138
PDF size: 200.08 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Acute bacterial meningitis is considered a medical emergency. Mortality is up to 37% and the neurological sequels are estimated at 52% in the survivors. The timely management and diagnosis have a significant impact on the evolution of the disease. This paper reports the case of a 33-year-old male with a history of chronic sinusitis, he was summited to an elective rhinoplasty, and 24 hours after the surgery the patient began with disorientation, psychomotor agitation, fever, neck stiffness and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Cranial CT showed ethmoidal and sphenoidal sinusitis. Lumbar puncture was done and the cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) analysis was suggestive of pyogenic infection. Patient was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with mechanical ventilation. Empirical treatment with steroids, ceftriaxone and vancomycin was started. The cerebrospinal fluid culture revealed Streptococcus pneumoniae penicillin susceptible. Antimicrobial treatment was adjusted to penicillin G, and after 15 days patient was sent to home without any neurological damage. In patients with risk factors and a clinical picture suggestive of bacterial meningitis treatment should be started as soon as possible, with the aim of reducing the mortality and the associated complications.