[Abscess of the brain (2nd report)--special reference to surgical indication of extracapsular excision of brain abscess (author's transl)].

Brain abscess persists as a serious diagnostic problem and critical therapeutic challenge since pre-antibiotic era. After antibiotic agents has been introduced, abscess of the brain seems to be a surgical curable intracranial suppurative disease, although surgical mortality and morbidity due to brain abscess are still distressingly high. Recently, the incidence of brain abscess are gradually increasing. In this present situation, it is necessary to reevaluate the previous method and surgical results of brain abscess. Even with new surgical techniques and antibiotics, the mortality rate and number of neurological deficits remain high, as previously methods, it is most important how to eliminate these problems. It was undertaken to determine the significant factors affecting the clinical management of patients with this serious problem. The general outlines of our neurosurgical treatment are given, with emphasis on our surgical schedule of brain abscess, especially brain abscess in congenital heart disease. In this paper, a review of the current status of the surgical methods, operative mortality and morbidity, diagnostic methods and the therapy of brain abscess has been discussed.