Professional paper

Central skull base osteomyelitis

Iva Lisičar ; Klinika za infektivne bolesti "Dr. Fran Mihaljević", Zagreb, Hrvatska
Vladimir Krajinović ; Klinika za infektivne bolesti "Dr. Fran Mihaljević", Zagreb, Hrvatska
Bruno Baršić ; Klinika za infektivne bolesti "Dr. Fran Mihaljević", Zagreb, Hrvatska

Abstract

Central skull base osteomyelitis is an infection localized to the sphenoid bone and the pyramids of the temporal bone. It usually occurs as a complication of otitis externa, otitis media, mastoiditis or sinuitis. The most common causative pathogen is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We present three patients treated at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljevi}" in 2014 and 2015. All patients were immunocompromised. Furthermore, in all three patients there was a delay in diagnosing skull base osteomyelitis and initiating appropriate treatment. However, after few months all patients improved in terms of nerve palsy and quality of life. Skull base osteomyelitis is a rare, but often severe condition, which can sometimes end in a fatal outcome. Therefore, it should be suspected in patients with headache, cranial nerve palsy and elevated inflammatory parameters, and persevere in establishing the right diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords

Skull base osteomyelitis; immunocompromised host

Hrčak ID:

182349

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/182349

Publication date:

31.3.2016.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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