Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Brief Clinical Note

Brain abscess mediated through a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation in a patient with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

Kohei Tsujimoto, M.D.1), Masayuki Moriya, M.D., Ph.D.1)2), Keiko Yaka, M.D.1), Yuko Kawasaki, M.D.1), Rie Nakatani, M.D.1), Ichiro Naba, M.D., Ph.D.1), Misa Nakano, M.D., Ph.D.1), Chikao Tatsumi, M.D., Ph.D.1), Taku Yasumoto, M.D., PhD.3) and Ryuji Kawahara4)

1)Department of Neurology, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital
2)Department of Rehabilitation, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital
3)Department of Radiology, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital
4)Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health

The patient is a 66-year-old man with hereditary telangiectasia. He was diagnosed with pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM), which was revealed by contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography at the age of 65. He developed headache, right homonymous hemianopsia, and right hemiparesis and was admitted to our hospital. Contrastenhanced magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple lesions in the left hemisphere, which indicates brain abscesses. Thus, the diagnosis of brain abscess mediated through PAVM was established. Following management with drainage and coil embolization, all neurological symptoms resolved. Therefore, coil embolization should be considered for PAVM at an early stage to prevent brain abscess, even if it is asymptomatic.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (3609K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 54: 330|333, 2014)
key words: hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), brain abscess, pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM), Fusobacterium

(Received: 25-Apr-13)