An Atypical Presentation of Cerebellar Abscess: A Case Report

TL;DR

A four-year-old girl presented with a rare cerebellar abscess caused by a congenital dermoid cyst, highlighting the importance of early detection of birth defects.

Contribution

This case report highlights a rare cause of cerebellar abscess linked to a congenital dermoid cyst with sinus tract.

Findings

A cerebellar abscess was found to be connected to an occipital cortical defect and sinus tract.

Histopathology confirmed the presence of a dermoid cyst as the underlying cause.

Early surgical intervention and antibiotics were effective in treating the condition.

Abstract

An infratentorial abscess is a medical emergency. Common sources of abscesses are otogenic foci, sinusitis, or dental abscess, rarely congenital defects like dermoid cysts with sinus along with cerebrospinal axis can lead to infratentorial abscess. This case report describes a four-year-old girl with pus discharging from the occipital area. Radiological imaging revealed a cerebellar abscess with the sinus tract open exteriorly through an occipital cortical defect with obstructive hydrocephalus. The patient underwent neurosurgical intervention followed by antibiotic therapy. Histopathology of the tissue sample was suggestive of a dermoid cyst. Congenital defects should not be ignored. All newborns should have a thorough physical examination to identify birth defects. As these defects can cause life-threatening complications, early recognition with early surgical intervention is the treatment of choice.

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