Brain Abscess as the First Clinical Manifestation of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia – Three Case Reports

Czech version

Authors: G. Hanoun ¹; V. Vybíhal ¹; M. Sova ¹; J. Boudný ²; T. Svoboda ¹; M. Smrčka ¹
Authors‘ workplace: LF MU a FN Brno Neurochirurgická klinika ¹; LF MU a FN Brno Radiologická klinika ²
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2015; 78/111(3): 348-353
Category: Case Report

Overview

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia or Rendu‑ Osler‑ Weber disease is an autosomal‑ dominant disorder that results in fibrovascular dysplasia and is characterized by telangiectases and arteriovenous malformation of the skin, mucosa and viscera. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations as a source of septic emboli may give rise to brain abscess that so often is the first and only clinical manifestation of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. Three cases of patients suffering from this disease with brain abscess as the first and serious symptom are presented. Since this is a relatively rare disease, it is not always considered in the differential diagnosis and thus not diagnosed. This disease has to be considered in patients with brain abscess and, in case of a suspicion, it must be properly examined. When pulmonary arteriovenous malformation is verified, it has to be treated in order to prevent recurrent brain abscesses. Care of these patients should be comprehensive and multidisciplinary.

Key words:
hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia – Rendu-Osler-Weber disease – brain abscess – arteriovenous malformation – epistaxis – endoglin

The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study.

The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE “uniform requirements” for biomedical papers.

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