[Purulent neuroinfections in the course of septicemia in the years 1988-1992: personal experience].

Between 1988 and 1992 thirty patients with purulent infections of central nervous system in the course of bacterial septicaemia were treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the I Clinic of Infectious Diseases of Silesian School of Medicine in Bytom. These cases made about 32% of the total bacterial neuroinfections treated in the Clinic during that time. Imminent or existing acute respiratory insufficiency, increasing intracranial pressure, intensification of haemorrhagic diathesis and imminent septic shock were the indications to the hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit. Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were the most often found etiological factors in subsequently 53.33%, 33.33% and 3.34% of patients. In 10% of cases the etiological factors remained unknown. Intratracheal intubations and/or tracheotomies were carried out in over 60% of patients. About 40% of cases required assisted or controlled mechanical ventilation with the aid of ventilator (on the average 5 days). Mean time of hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit closed in the period of 7 days. Mortality in the analyzed group was 23.33% (7 cases). Bacterial septicaemia with purulent infections of central nervous system often leads to the directly life threatening complications. Hospitalization in conditions of Intensive Care Unit affords possibilities for effective treatment and improvement of prognosis in patients suffering from these diseases.