Pyogenic Neurosurgical Infections

This book brings together the current knowledge on the spread of infections in the nervous system from a focus of bacteria in the body. This type of infection commonly leads to abscesses, intracranial and spinal sepsis and metostatic infections such as infective venous sinus thrombosis. These infections can lead, if untreated, to other toxic shock syndromes which cause disruptive changes in the body, including circulation and central nervous system septicemia and failure which can be life-threatening. A variety of micro-organisms are implicated and the vast majority of focal CNS infections are now due to spread from adjacent foci of chronic sepsis in which mixed infections of aerobic and anaerobic organisms occur. The etiology and epidemiology of these organisms are reviewed, preventive measures are discussed, diagnosis is evaluated and new procedures for therapeutic and surgical treatment of the complicated infections are recommended.