Relevance of antibiotics in the treatment of brain abscesses. Report of a case with eight simultaneous brain abscesses treated and cured medically.

A case of eight simultaneous brain abscesses in the right cerebral hemisphere, treated medically after puncture of two of them, is reported. Antibiotics and hypertonic mannitol and, after seven days, dexamethasone were sufficient to cure these lesions. CT scan was of primary importance to follow the evolution under treatment. To get the best efficiency from antibiotics, identification of the microorganism and assessment of its resistance to antibiotics are necessary. It is suggested that in certain conditions medical therapy might be sufficient to treat cerebral abscess, after simple puncture to isolate the infecting agent. Corticosteroids should be avoided in the acute phase because they prevent antibiotics from penetrating the abscesses.