BACKGROUND Hydrocephalus is a common neurosurgical problem in Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) contributing to 27 (24%) of the 114 neurosurgical operations done in 2003 and 2004. During the same period it was responsible for 25% of the cases seen in the neurosurgery clinic. AIM To prospectively audit and follow up hydrocephalus cases in PMGH over 2 years from January 2003 to December 2004...

The perioperative management of post-craniotomy pain is controversial. Although the concept of pain control in non-neurosurgical fields has grown substantially, the understanding of neurosurgical pain and its causative factors in such a population is inconclusive. In fact, the organ that is the center of pain and its related mechanisms receives little attention to alleviate distress during neur...

BACKGROUND Postoperative central nervous system infection (PCNSI) in patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures represents a serious problem that requires immediate attention. PCNSI most commonly manifests as meningitis, subdural empyema, and/or brain abscess. Recent studies (which have included a minimum of 1000 operations) have reported that the incidence of PCNSI after neurosurgical proced...

Cerebral salt wasting is characterized by inappropriate natriuresis and volume contraction in the presence of cerebral pathology. Diagnosis can be difficult and therapy is challenging. We report two children with tuberculous meningitis and hydrocephalus who developed cerebral salt wasting following neurosurgical intervention. The first patient was managed with rigorous salt and water replacemen...

Mortality and morbidity rates are high among children with acute bacterial meningitis, especially in young ages. A im: to determine the most common neurologic complications during the acute phase of childhood bacterial meningitis and long term sequelae. Material and methods: A total of 277 children (aged 0-16years) were evaluated for acute neurologic complications following bacterial meningitis...

Subdural empyema (SDE) and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) are uncommon life-threatening complications of bacterial meningitis, which require urgent neurosurgical intervention to prevent adverse outcomes. Clinicians must be vigilant of the onset of focal neurologic deficits or seizure activity to establish the diagnosis of SDE. Streptococcus pneumoniae accounts for <1% of pyogenic brain abscesse...

OBJECTIVE Both clinical data and laboratory studies demonstrated the risk of pneumococcal meningitis post-cochlear implantation. This review examines strategies to prevent post-implant meningitis. DATA SOURCES Medline/PubMed database; English articles after 1980. Search terms: cochlear implants, pneumococcus meningitis, streptococcus pneumonia, immunization, prevention. REVIEW METHODS Narra...

Materials & Methods; The patient had experienced a head injury 26 years previously which resulted in recurrent episodes of meningitis. Previous surgeries, one neurosurgical operation and three middle ear operations were ineffective. The patient constantly complained about headaches, dizziness, balance disorder, hypoacusis in the right ear and visual dysfunction. During the middle ear surgery, i...

BACKGROUND Propionibacterium acnes is increasingly recognized as a cause of post-neurosurgical infection. This review of patients with P. acnes neurosurgical infection was carried out in order to determine clinical characteristics and outcomes in relation to duration of antimicrobial treatment. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the charts of consecutive patients with P. acnes isolated from ...