Paffetti A, D'Aviera L, Le Foche F, Mannozzi P, Mastropietro C, Croce G F, Ferretti G, Rossi F
Department of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Policlinico Umberto 1, University La Sapienza of Rome, Italy.
J Chemother. 1998 Apr;10(2):132-5. doi: 10.1179/joc.1998.10.2.132.
We describe a case of a 25-year-old female with an acute left otomastoiditis, accompanied by a left temporal extradural abscess with moderate perifocal edema and meningitis. Intravenous meropenem (2 g 8-hourly) and intravenous methylprednisolone (40 mg once daily) were commenced empirically. Teicoplanin (400 mg once daily intravenously) was added after 5 days when culture results were available. Teicoplanin was discontinued on day 25 but meropenem and methylprednisolone were continued for a further 15 days, after which the abscess completely resolved without sequelae. No treatment-induced adverse effects or seizures were observed. Thus, in selected patients, antibacterials (in conjunction with a corticosteroid) may be successfully used without surgery to treat brain abscesses and in such circumstances meropenem is a useful option for empiric therapy.
