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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian Journal of Neurosurgery 2019; 08(03): 185-187
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1695082
Short Communication
Neurological Surgeons' Society of India

Transcalvarial and Transdural Involvement of Skull Actinomycosis with Recurrence

Kramadhari Harshith
1   Department of Radio-Diagnosis, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India
,
Krishnan Nagarajan
1   Department of Radio-Diagnosis, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India
,
Andi Sadayandi Ramesh
2   Department of Neurosurgery, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India
,
Debasis Gochhait
3   Department of Pathology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

Received: 26 July 2018

Accepted: 05 October 2018

Publication Date:
20 September 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Actinomycosis is caused by anaerobic gram-positive bacteria of Actinomyces genus, generally found as commensals in the human body and infection occurs when the immune system is compromised. We present the case of a 35-year-old diabetic woman, who presented with headache and sudden onset of left-sided weakness apart from scalp swelling, which on imaging showed transcalvarial transdural involvement, and subsequent surgical debridement and histopathologic analysis confirmed actinomycosis. Follow-up showed recurrence of the lesion at the same site following a period of remission. Calvarial involvement of actinomycosis is rare and can mimic even neoplastic or malignant lesions, hence requiring prompt diagnosis, treatment with surgery, and long-term antibiotic treatment to prevent complications.

Keywords

actinomycosis - transcalvarial involvement - transdural spread - magnetic resonance imaging - histopathologic diagnosis