Brain abscess is known to occur (1) as hematogenous or metastatic abscesses in normal individuals, (2) in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease,1,2 (3) secondary to sinus or mastoid infection,3-5 and (4) secondary to trauma.
The following report of brain abscess in three children undergoing dilatation of the esophagus should alert the clinician to undertake a careful evaluation in any child developing neurologic dysfunction while undergoing esophageal dilatation.
CASE REPORTS Case 1
A 4-month-old infant with congenital esophageal atresia had retrograde bougienage performed monthly. At the age of 2 months, after one of the dilatations, the child had had an episode of "suspected meningitis," but returned to normal within three days without therapy.