JAPANESE JOURNAL OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Vol. 54 No. 8       2008

ISSN: 0021-5163      UBIC: 151-J

ABSTRACT

We report a rare case of a brain abscess secondary to radioosteomyelitis of the jaw. A 61-year-old man who had received irradiation to a tumor of the tonsil in 1991 had been conservatively treated for radioosteomyelitis of the mandible at our hospital at regular intervals. Then he felt narrowing of the visual field with a serious headache and was immediately admitted to our hospital in September 2006. On the next day, convulsive seizures occurred. Brain CT scanning was immediately performed and demonstrated a low density area in the right occipital lobe. The patient was given a diagnosis of brain abscess. A craniotomy followed by aspiration with drainage was performed by a neurosurgeon. After the operation, the narrowing of visual field improved immediately, and both CT and MRI revealed disappearance of the low density area. Hematogenous infection due to radioosteomyelitis of the jaw was strongly suspected to have caused the brain abscess. After discharge from our hospital, no further symptoms have occurred. Keywords: radioosteomyelitis, brain abscess, hematogenous infection.

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