[Infectious endocarditis in a neurosurgical unit].

Clinico-pathological study of 15 cases of cerebral complications of bacterial endocarditis referred to a neurosurgical unit for suspected cerebral abcess. In all cases but one, cerebral symptoms appeared with the cardiac condition undiagnosed, and complete diagnosis was made only at autopsy. Cerebral lesions consisted mainly in focal softening due to embolisms, generally multiple, with in about half the cases histological manifestations of bacterial seeding, without any abcess such as could be amenable to neurosurgical treatment. Surgical treatment of mycotic aneurysms was unsuccessful, due mainly to their multiplicity.