No abstract

-Nocardia is a ubiquitous microorganism which can be the cause of local and disseminated infection in humans. immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients both can be affected and Nocardia cyriacigeorgica was reported as a pathogen isolated in patients worldwide. in most cases, nocardiosis is present as pulmonary infection because inhalation is the primary way of bacterial exposure. Nocardial brain abscess occurs usually secondary to a septic focus elsewhere in the body. Considering the facts that the elderly population is growing, such as the number of immunocompromised patients together with high mortality rate in patients with nocardial infection of the central nervous system, we have to raise awareness of the possibility for this rare but potentially fatal condition. we present a case where nocardial abscesses of lung and brain were initially suspected as lung cancer with brain metastases. The patient was treated with a combination of surgical resection and antimicrobial therapy with good outcome.

No abstract

Glioblastomas presenting topographically at the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) are exceedingly rare. Given the specific anatomical considerations and their rarity, overall survival (OS) and management are not discussed in detail. The authors performed an integrative survival analysis of CPA glioblastomas. A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was performed per PRISMA guidelines. Patient data including demographics, clinical features, neuroimaging, management, follow-up, and OS were extracted. The mean age was 39 ± 26.2 years. The mean OS was 8.9 months. Kaplan–Meier log-rank test and univariate Cox proportional-hazards model identified hydrocephalus (log-rank, p = 0.034; HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.12–0.94; p = 0.038), chemotherapy (log-rank, p < 0.005; HR 5.66; 95% CI 1.53–20.88; p = 0.009), and radiotherapy (log-rank, p < 0.0001; HR 12.01; 95% CI 3.44–41.89; p < 0.001) as factors influencing OS. Hydrocephalus (HR 3.57; 95% CI 1.07–11.1; p = 0.038) and no adjuvant radiotherapy (HR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02–0.59; p < 0.01) remained prognostic on multivariable analysis with fourfold and twofold higher risk for the time-related onset of death, respectively. This should be considered when assessing the risk-to-benefit ratio for patients undergoing surgery for CPA glioblastoma.