The following is a summary of “Spontaneous Pneumocephalus: A Case Report with a Literature Review,” published in the December 2023 issue of Emergency Medicine by Chen, et al.

Having gas in the intracranial space is what the term “pneumocephalus” means. The direct disruption of the dura may be caused by a variety of factors, including head trauma, surgical operations, and diagnostic and therapeutic treatments. Spontaneous pneumocephalus, also known as nontraumatic pneumocephalus, is a rare illness often brought on by infection. This infection may be induced by gas-forming bacteria or by a subtle disturbance of the dura. 

For a study, researchers sought to present a rare instance of spontaneous pneumocephalus associated with meningitis that occurred in a patient who was successfully treated conservatively without undergoing any surgical intervention. The group A streptococcus was discovered by blood culture. As a result of antibiotic therapy, the pneumocephalus progressively reduced, and no neurological abnormalities persisted. During the subsequent brain computed tomography scan, it was discovered that no pneumocephalus was present; nevertheless, there was evidence of increasing hydrocephalus. 

After being hospitalized for 21 days, the patient was finally released. It is very uncommon for meningitis to be coupled with spontaneous pneumocephalus. The presence of this symptom should always prompt appropriate therapy and raise the possibility of meningitis. Emergency medical professionals should constantly look for this specific risk while doing computed tomography on the brain.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S073646792300361X