Neonatal brain abscess with intracystic hemorrhage--case report.

The authors describe the case of an 11-day-old boy with high fever and signs of meningeal irritation in whom computed tomography demonstrated a large brain abscess with intracystic hemorrhage in the right temporal lobe. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis indicated purulent meningitis caused by Escherichia coli. After aspiration of the abscess contents, the entire ventricular system gradually enlarged. Despite repeated ventricular drainage and ventriculoperitoneal shunting, the lateral horn of the left lateral ventricle remained dilated. The isolation of the lateral ventricle may have resulted from septation due to the inflammatory reaction. This fluid was also shunted to the peritoneal cavity.