Brain abscess and psychosis as a complication of a halo orthosis.

The halo vest orthosis is commonly used for stabilization after cervical spinal cord injury. Well-documented complications of halo use include skin breakdown, pin loosening, and loss of reduction. Brain abscess associated with halo use has been rarely reported. A case of a 23-year-old man is presented with spinal cord injury and halo stabilization. He developed extreme agitation and psychosis. Diagnostic imaging showed a brain abscess. After treatment for the abscess, his behavioral symptoms resolved. This article reviews the halo orthosis, its possible complications, and its routine management. Early recognition of important signs of symptoms in patients with halos as possible indicators of brain abscess is emphasized.