Author(s)

Ulf Nestler, Daniel Memia-Zolo, Nidal Salloum, Mehdi Mejdoubi, François Lengelle, Raoul Santiago, William Cécile, Remus Stegaru, Norbert Manzo

Department of Anesthesiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Fort de France, Fort-de-France, French West Indies.
Department of Neurosurgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Fort de France, Fort-de-France, French West Indies.
Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Fort de France, Fort-de-France, French West Indies.
Department of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Fort de France, Fort-de-France, French West Indies.
Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Fort de France, Fort-de-France, French West Indies.

Objective: Sinogenic subdural empyema remains a neurosurgical emergency, even in the antibiotic era. Sickle cell disease is one of the most frequent hereditary diseases, with an incidence of around 4 in 1000 newborns, which necessitates special considerations before a neurosurgical intervention. Case Description: The case of a 10-year-old boy with sickle cell disease type HbSC is reported, who presented with meningitis about ten days after a nasal sinusitis. CT and MRI showed subdural empyema and immediate intravenous antibiotic treatment was started. The patient received partial exchange transfusion. Craniotomy allowed evacuation of empyema and repairment of a frontobasal dural defect. Endoscopic evacuation of the paranasal sinuses was done in the same anesthesia. After initial good recovery, the patient developed right sided paresis with epileptic seizures a few days later. CT scan revealed three distant empyema recurrencies which were evacuated in a second neurosurgical intervention. The child recovered without neurologic deficit, and control MRI examinations three and twelve months after surgery found frontal and parietal dural thickening as sequelae. Conclusion: Urgent neurosurgical interventions in the presence of sickle cell anemia require special anesthesiologic preparations. An immediate, multidisciplinary approach can lead to a good outcome in these life-threatening situations.

Nasal Sinusitis; Sickle Cell Anemia; Streptococcus Pneumoniae; Subdural Empyema

U. Nestler, D. Memia-Zolo, N. Salloum, M. Mejdoubi, F. Lengelle, R. Santiago, W. Cécile, R. Stegaru and N. Manzo, "Sinogenic Subdural Empyema in a Ten-Year-Old Boy with Sickle Cell Anemia," Open Journal of Modern Neurosurgery, Vol. 3 No. 4, 2013, pp. 53-58. doi: 10.4236/ojmn.2013.34012.