Brain abscess after esophageal dilatation for stenosis

Esophageal carcinoma as a portal of entry for brainstem abscess formation

Cerebral abscess formation is a serious and life-threatening clinical entity, secondary to contiguous spread, hematogenous dissemination or direct inoculation. We present the case of a 61-year-old woman with a recent diagnosis of a locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus who was diagnosed with a brainstem abscess. In literature we only found three cases reporting cerebral abscess formation in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Our case report is considered exceptional given the abscess localization in the pons. The abscess was successfully treated with stereotactic drainage and antibiotics. This report emphasizes the importance of gastrointestinal tract evaluation in patients with diagnosis of cerebral abscess when no other cause is found. Brain abscesses must be recognized as a potentially fatal complication of esophageal carcinoma.

Congenital esophageal stenosis: a rare malformation of the foregut

Congenital esophageal stenosis (CES) is a type of esophageal stenosis, and three histological subtypes (tracheobronchial remnants, fibromuscular thickening or fibromuscular stenosis, and membranous webbing or esophageal membrane) are described. Symptoms of CES usually appears with the introduction of the semisolid alimentation. Dysphagia is the most common symptom, but esophageal food impaction, respiratory distress or failure to thrive can be clinical manifestations of CES. Wide spectrum of differential diagnoses leads to delayed definitive diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Depends on hystological subtype of CES, some treatment procedures (dilation or segmental esophageal resection) are recommended, but individually approach is still important in terms of frequency and type of dilation procedures or type of the surgical treatment. Dysphagia can persist after the treatment and a long follow-up period is recommended. In 33% of patients with CES, a different malformations in the digestive system, but also in the other systems, are described.

Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess

Background

Cerebral abscess is caused by inoculation of an organism into the brain parenchyma from a site distant from the central nervous system. Streptococcus intermedius (S. intermedius) is a commensal organism that is normally present in the aerodigestive tract and was reported to be the cause of brain abscesses after esophageal dilatation or upper endoscopy.

Case Presentation

We report the case of a 53-year-old female who presented with hematemesis and melena followed by left-sided weakness. Initially, her hemiplegia was found to be secondary to a right thalamic brain abscess caused by S. intermedius. Investigations led to the diagnosis of a mid-esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We hypothesize that the cause of the abscess with this bacterium that naturally resides in the digestive tract and oral cavity is secondary to hematogenous spread from breach in the mucosal integrity from ulceration due to the cancer.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, our case is the first in the literature to describe a brain abscess caused by S. intermedius in association with a previously undiagnosed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma without any prior esophageal intervention.

Brain abscess after esophageal dilatation: case report

Brain abscess formation is a serious disease often seen as a complication to other diseases and to procedures. A rare predisposing condition is dilatation therapy of esophageal strictures. A case of brain abscess formation after esophageal dilatations is presented. A 59-year-old woman was admitted with malaise, progressive lethargy, fever, aphasia and hemiparesis. Six days before she had been treated with esophageal dilatation for a stricture caused by accidental ingestion of caustic soda. The brain abscess was treated with surgery and antibiotics. She recovered completely. This clinical case illustrates the possible association between therapeutic esophageal dilatation and the risk of brain abscess formation.

Acute esophageal necrosis: a rare syndrome

BACKGROUND

Acute esophageal necrosis, which presents as a black esophagus on endoscopy, is a rare disorder that is poorly described in the medical literature. In this study, we analyze all cases reported to date to define risk factors, clinical presentation, endoscopic features, histologic appearance, treatment, complications, outcome and etiopathogenesis of the disease and to describe a distinct medical syndrome and propose a staging system.

METHODS

We searched Medline and PubMed from January 1965 to February 2006 for English-language articles using the key words "acute esophageal necrosis," "necrotizing esophagitis," and "black esophagus."

RESULTS

A total of 88 patients were reported in the literature during the 40 years, 70 men and 16 women with an average age of 67 years. Patients were generally admitted for gastrointestinal bleeding and cardiovascular event/shock. Patients presented with hematemesis and melena in more than 70% of the cases. Upper endoscopy showed black, diffusely necrotic esophageal mucosa predominantly affecting the distal third of the organ. Necrosis was confirmed histologically in most cases. Complications included strictures or stenoses, mediastinitis/abscesses, and perforations. Overall mortality was 31.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a structured approach to identifying risk factors, diagnosis, and pathogenesis of the acute esophageal necrosis. Risk factors include age, male sex, cardiovascular disease, hemodynamic compromise, gastric outlet obstruction, alcohol ingestion, malnutrition, diabetes, renal insufficiency, hypoxemia, hypercoagulable state, and trauma. Mechanism of damage is usually multifactorial secondary to ischemic compromise, acute gastric outlet obstruction, and malnutrition. Overall, acute esophageal necrosis should be viewed as a poor prognostic factor, associated with high mortality from the underlying clinical disease.