Clinical characteristics and treatment of intracranial subdural empyema
WANG Lu
WANG Yongxin
YANG Tao
ZHANG Hao
WANG Yaping
OU Chengying
LI Dongbo
Abstract：Objective To explore the clinical features,causes of misdiagnosis,and optimal treatment strategies for intracranial subdural empyema(SDE).Methods The clinical data of five patients diagnosed with SDE at the Department of Neurosurgery at Ankang Central Hospital between November 2020 to February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Clinical presentations,treatments,and outcomes were systematically reviewed.Results All patients were preoperatively misdiagnosed,with the correct diagnosis confirmed intraoperatively.Two adolescent patients underwent SDE evacuation combined with decompressive craniectomy due to rapid clinical deterioration and cerebral herniation,both of whom underwent cranioplasty 3-6 months later and achieved a Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS)score of 5.The other three elderly patients underwent burr-hole drainage,with one having a GOS score of 5 at the six-month follow-up,and the other two having a GOS score of 1.Conclusions SDE is rare but progresses rapidly.Timely and accurate diagnosis combined with appropriate surgical interventions can significantly improve the prognosis.
Keywords：subdural empyemaintracranial infectionclinical manifestationtreatment
Publication Date：2026-01-28
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-17(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 85-88 )