Bilateral Calcified Subdural Empyemas: A Case Report and Literature Review

TL;DR

This paper presents a rare case of calcified subdural empyema in a man from South Africa and reviews existing literature on this uncommon condition.

Contribution

The paper reports the tenth documented case of CSE and provides a literature review highlighting its unique epidemiology and pathophysiology.

Findings

CSEs are rare and often misdiagnosed as calcified chronic subdural hematomas.

Most CSE cases occur in males from developing countries with prior neurosurgical procedures.

The patient presented with bilateral, culture-positive collections without prior surgery.

Abstract

Calcified subdural empyemas (CSEs) are rare neurosurgical pathologies that can be mistaken for calcified chronic subdural hematomas. Patients often present with symptoms of worsening headache, seizures, or hemiparesis without general malaise or systemic illness. Here we report the tenth documented case of CSE in a 51-year-old man from South Africa with no surgical history who developed bilateral, culture-positive collections. Additionally, we provide a review of the current literature on this condition. The majority of CSEs occur in males from developing countries who previously underwent neurosurgical procedures decades earlier. Further investigations into the pathophysiology of this unique disease are warranted.

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