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Septic Embolic Encephalitis

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Neurocritical Care

Abstract

Septic embolic encephalitis (SEE) results from infectious, ischemic, and hemorrhagic damage to the neuro-parenchyma following infective thromboembolism from any part of the body. The heart is the most common source (infective endocarditis), followed by bacteremia and pulmonary infections. At autopsy, SEE is characterized by diffuse congestion and hyperemia of the leptomeninges, cerebral edema, and sometimes focal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Numerous microabscesses can be seen and occasionally they coalesce to form space-occupying macroabscesses. Vessel occlusion by thromboemboli and bacterial vasculopathy (including septic erosion of the vessel wall) can result in cerebral ischemia, intracerebral hemorrhage, or both. Evaluation and treatment of septic embolic encephalitis in the neurocritical care unit requires an interdisciplinary approach.

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Authors
  1. Derk Krieger
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  2. Johannes Brachmann
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  3. Werner Hacke
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Werner Hacke M.D. (Professor and Chairman) (Professor and Chairman)

  2. Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wall Street, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Daniel F. Hanley M.D. (Associate Professor, Director Neuroscience Critical) (Associate Professor, Director Neuroscience Critical)

  3. Department of Neurology, Humboldt University Berlin, Schumannstr. 20/21, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Karl M. Einhäupl M.D. (Professor and Chairman, Charité) (Professor and Chairman, Charité)

  4. Department of Neurology, Medical Center, University of Virginia, Box 394, 22908, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Thomas P. Bleck M.D. (Associate Professor) (Associate Professor)

  5. Department of Neurology, Washington University, Medical Center, 660 South Euclid Avenue, P.O. Box 8111, 63110, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Michael N. Diringer M.D. (Assistant Professor) (Assistant Professor)

  6. Department of Neurology, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, 32 Fruit Street, 02114, Boston, MA, USA

    Allan H. Ropper M.D. (Professor of Neurology) (Professor of Neurology)

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© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Krieger, D., Brachmann, J., Hacke, W. (1994). Septic Embolic Encephalitis. In: Hacke, W., Hanley, D.F., Einhäupl, K.M., Bleck, T.P., Diringer, M.N., Ropper, A.H. (eds) Neurocritical Care. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87602-8_54

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87602-8_54

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-87604-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-87602-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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