Neurosurgery in Nigeria
For the best in neurological surgery and care in Nigeria, visit eshohealth and enjoy the best that Nigeria offers.
Visit NOW
No Comments »Filed under: Patient InformationPosted on July 28th, 2008
|
|
Neurosurgery Without TearsFor the best in neurological surgery and care in Nigeria, visit eshohealth and enjoy the best that Nigeria offers.
Visit NOW
Antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment of bacterial meningitis. It is essential to use antibiotics which readily cross the blood brain barrier. The third generation cephalosporins are in wide use for the treatment of meningitis especially in adults.
Broad-spectrum agents are used initially, while specific drugs are commenced as soon as results of CSF analysis are [...]
Diagnosis
The definite diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is based on the findings of cerebrovascular fluid (CSF) examination. The CSF is obtained from lumbar puncture. The usual picture is pleocytosis with cell count over 1,000 cells per mm3 (with polymorphonuclear cells predominating), hypoglycorrhagia with glucose under 30 mg per dL and elevated protein usually over 200 mg [...]
The clinical features of acute bacterial meningitis vary with the age and immune status of the patient. Children may present with fever, convulsions, refusal of feeds, irritability, excessive cry and vomiting. Adults may present with fever, headache, vomiting, lethargy, confusion, and a stiff neck.
The manifestations, however, may be subtle, especially in newborns, immunosuppressed patients, and [...]
The causative organisms of acute bacterial meningitis are clearly associated with the age of the patient. The common organisms in each age group are as detailed below:
Neonatal period: Escherichia coli, group B streptococci (S. agalactiae), and L. monocytogenes.
Ages 2 months to 5 years: H. influenzae
Above 5 years: S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis.
In addition [...]
This is a medical emergency.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges, the coverings of the brain and the spinal cord: dura, arachnoid, and pia. It carries a high mortality rate despite medical advances.
Meningitis may be caused by various agents including trauma, chemicals e.g released from tumours and several infectious agents. However, bacterial meningitis represents the [...]
Brain tumours are no respecter of personality. They affect all age groups and both sexes. They may start de novo in the brain (primary tumours) or come from other parts of the body (secondary tumours or metastases).
They contribute significantly to the health burden of all nations and present unique challenges to the affected individuals, [...]
Occult spina bifida may be completely hidden as its name implies and often found incidentally. Its presence may be suggested by the cutaneous features listed below. Its often asymptomatic when it occurs alone, but when it is associated with diastematomyelia, tethered cord, lipoma, or dermoid tumour, it presents as tethered cord syndrome with the neurological [...]
Neural tube defects (NTDs) like spina bifida are often a source of worry to parents of affected children.
While its aetiology is not particularly certain, it is generally known that folate deficiency in a woman puts her at a great risk of having a child with a neural tube defect.
In recognition of the role of folic [...]
Spina bifida is also known as spinal dysraphism.
The condition may be occult or difficult to detect (spinal bifida occulta) or relatively clinically obvious (spina bifida aperta or spina bifida cystic).
The following definitions are useful in understanding the various entities grouped together as spinal dysraphic conditions.
1. Spina bifida occulta: congenital absence of a spinous process and [...]
