Hyperbaric oxygen for intracranial abscess

Edward O Tomoye; Richard E Moon

doi:10.22462/01.03.2021.12

Hyperbaric oxygen for intracranial abscess

Undersea Hyperb Med. 2021 First Quarter;48(1):97-102. doi: 10.22462/01.03.2021.12.

Authors

Edward O Tomoye¹, Richard E Moon²

Affiliations

¹ University of North Texas Health Science Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Fort Worth, Texas U.S.
² Departments of Anesthesiology and Medicine, Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology, Duke University, North Carolina U.S.

PMID: 33648039
DOI: 10.22462/01.03.2021.12

Abstract

The term "intracranial abscess" (ICA) includes cerebral abscess, subdural empyema, and epidural empyema, which share many diagnostic and therapeutic similarities and, frequently, very similar etiologies. Infection may occur and spread from a contiguous infection such as sinusitis, otitis, mastoiditis, or dental infection; hematogenous seeding; or cranial trauma. In view of the high morbidity and mortality of ICA and the fact that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) is relatively non-invasive and carries a low complication rate, the risk-benefit ratio favors adjunct use of HBO2 therapy in selected patients with intracranial abscess.

Keywords: hyperbaric oxygen therapy; intracranial abscess.

MeSH terms

Brain Abscess / diagnostic imaging
Brain Abscess / etiology
Brain Abscess / therapy*
Empyema, Subdural / diagnostic imaging
Empyema, Subdural / etiology
Empyema, Subdural / therapy
Epidural Abscess / diagnostic imaging
Epidural Abscess / etiology
Epidural Abscess / therapy
Humans
Hyperbaric Oxygenation / methods*
Patient Selection
Risk Assessment
Streptococcal Infections / microbiology