When a Mass in the Brain Isn’t What It Seems | Discover Magazine
Flora s abscess came back just one month after her operation. One theory: High-dose steroids often a double-edged sword in patients whose immune systems are already failing paralyzed her defenses. But in a healthy woman like Flora, that wasn t likely.
Had the abscess needed more thorough drainage? Once again, probably not. In most brain abscesses that erupt seemingly out of nowhere, surgical drainage plus well-chosen antibiotics are perfectly sufficient treatment.
One more clue continued to trouble Omid. While examining Flora s mouth during his pre-op exam, he saw gingivitis. He also learned that, a decade earlier, the native of Armenia had received eight dental implants after moving to the U.S. It was time to take a closer look at Flora s teeth using a CT scan, which could offer a more in-depth view than a standard dental X-ray.
Bingo. Two weeks after her second operation, Flora s CT scan revealed periapical lucency light or moth-eaten bone at the base of an implant at the back of her mouth. It was as if a bright yellow highway sign had just pointed to the answer.
Days later, a specialist removed hardware and screws from side-by-side molar implants in Flora s right lower jaw. Pus immediately welled from their sockets, but drainage of the dental abscess and antibiotics led to rapid healing.
I knew it! Never get dental work in Armenia.