Fatal rhinocerebral mucormycosis with intracavernous carotid aneurysm and thrombosis: a late complication of transsphenoidal surgery?
Acta Neurol Belg
; 113(2): 179-84, 2013 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23135781
ABSTRACT
Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic fungal infection. Rhinocerebral form of the disease mainly affects diabetic or immunocompromised patients. Mucormycosis have specific tropism for blood vessels leading to mucorthrombosis and less often to mycotic aneurysms. We report on a patient initially presenting with a severe sphenoid sinusopathy, who progressively evolved to cavernous sinus syndrome, internal carotid aneurysm followed by spontaneous thrombosis, chronic meningitis and ultimately fatal hypertensive hydrocephalus. Necropsy revealed a purulent infiltrate containing thin-walled, aseptate, right-angle branching, hyphae consistent with mucormycosis. His only relevant previous medical history was a transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary macroadenoma 21 years before. We hypothesize that post-surgical mucosal changes in the sphenoid sinus have been a favoring factor for delayed and invasive mucor infection.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Postoperative Complications
/
Carotid Artery Diseases
/
Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis
/
Aneurysm
/
Mucormycosis
Limits:
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Acta Neurol Belg
Year:
2013
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Belgium