A case of epidural and subdural abscess treated by antibiotics and hochuekkito

Abstract

A 78-year-old male was admitted our hospital suffered from epidural and subdural abscess which were not identified causative bacteria. Antibiotics treatment for this case was intravenous administration of meropenem for 6 weeks and the next was oral administration of sulfamethoxazole ⁄ trimethoprim (ST). Eight weeks after the treatment of antibiotics, MRI findings of abscess shrank. But 6 weeks after ST administration, recurrence of abscess was doubted because of the increase of CRP and the aggravation of MRI findings. Then hochuekkito was administered com­bined with ST and 4 weeks later, the improvements of CRP and MRI findings were obtained. ST administration was finished after 16 weeks after initial administra­tion, afterwards only hochuekkito was continued and recurrence of abscess was not found.

It is reported that hochuekkito has the effects of improvement of digestive func­tion and immunological function. It is considered that the immunological improve­ment due to hochuekkito is useful for this case.