The man with the boggy head: cranial melioidosis

Kuan YC, How SH, Ng TH, Fauzi AR
Correspondence: Dr Kuan Yeh Chunn, kychunn@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
Melioidosis is known to cause abscesses in various organs, including the cranium, though less commonly. We present a patient with scalp abscess and subdural empyema that was visible on computed tomography of the brain. The neurosurgical drainage grew Burkholderia pseudomallei. Despite our best effort to treat the patient using parenteral antibiotics and surgical drainage, the patient did not survive.

Keywords: Burkholderia pseudomallei, cranial melioidosis, subdural empyema
Singapore Med J 2010; 51(2): e43-e45