Cerebral abscess A long-term follow-up

During the period 1935-1976, 200 cases of brain abscess were treated in the University Clinic of Neurosurgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen. 119 patients survived. Out of 40 deaths during the follow-up period, 37 were unrelated to the previous brain abscess. 12 patients emigrated and were lost to follow-up. History and neurologic examination of the remaining 67 surviving patients with follow-up periods of between 3 and 40 years (mean 18 years) showed no sequelae in 23, unrestricted working capacity in 46, epilepsy in 37, neurologic deficit in 18, and intellectual impairment in 13 patients. The most serious sequelae, incapacitating epilepsy and severe mental reduction, were seen in patients with brain abscess during childhood.