Pneumocephalus as a complication of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis

Eur J Intern Med. 2008 Mar;19(2):140-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2007.03.021. Epub 2007 Oct 4.

Abstract

Pneumocephalus implies air inside the cranial vault, which usually results from cranio-facial trauma. Occasionally, meningitis caused by gas-forming organisms can result in pneumocephalus. Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis can, on rare occasions, cause pneumocephalus as a complication. The drug of choice for K. pneumoniae meningitis is a third-generation cephalosporin, and resistance to these drugs is unusual. We report a case of multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae meningitis resulting from chronic suppurative otitis media, which was later complicated by pneumocephalus. The patient was successfully managed with meropenam and amikacin, the only antibiotics to which these bacilli showed no resistance.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella Infections / complications*
  • Klebsiella Infections / drug therapy
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / isolation & purification*
  • Male
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / complications*
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / drug therapy
  • Pneumocephalus / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumocephalus / drug therapy
  • Pneumocephalus / microbiology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome