Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with cerebellar brain infection treated successfully with surgery
By Hall, Ian et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Successful surgical management of a cerebellar subdural empyema in a domestic cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 14-year-old Domestic Shorthair cat was brought in with a left-sided head tilt and weakness on the right side of its body. An MRI showed a fluid-filled area in the brain, likely caused by an infection. The cat underwent surgery to remove the infected material, and after the operation, it quickly started to improve. It was sent home with antibiotics and, after two months, a follow-up MRI showed the brain issue was resolved, although the cat had some ongoing ear problems. A second surgery was needed to address the ear condition, but overall, the cat recovered well from the initial brain surgery.
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Abstract
This case report describes the successful diagnosis and surgical management of a cerebellar subdural empyema in a 14-year-old Domestic Shorthair cat. The patient presented with a left-sided head tilt and right-sided hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a right-sided extra-axial cavitated lesion in the cerebellum, and mild right-sided otitis media without evidence of otitis interna. Surgical decompression was performed, guided by the use of a 3D-printed model, and purulent material was evacuated. Bacterial culture identified,and a Gram-negative rod population; all were suspectible to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Cerebellar subdural lesion histopathologic analysis confirmed a pyogranulamatous to lymphoplasmocytic inflammatory process. The patient showed rapid postoperative neurological improvement and was discharged with targeted antimicrobial therapy. Follow-up MRI at 2 months revealed resolution of the cerebellar lesion but progression of right-sided otitis media without evidence of otitis interna. A ventral bulla osteotomy was subsequently performed, and tympanic mucosa biopsy confirmed chronic inflammation with cholesterol granuloma formation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of successful surgical treatment of a cerebellar subdural empyema in a feline patient.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41030678/