
pmid: 28471899
Introduction: Invasive cerebral aspergillosis is an uncommon cause of stroke among immunocompetent patients and has not been reported in association with cardiac surgery or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We report the case of an immunocompetent host who developed aspergillus-associated stroke following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and ECMO. Case Report: A 59-year-old woman developed cardiogenic shock after 3-vessel-CABG requiring intra-aortic balloon pump placement and subsequent veno-arterial ECMO. Noncontrast computed tomography of the brain was suggestive of multiple bihemispheric ischemic infarcts. Postmortem pathologic analysis revealed aspergillus-associated inflammation of blood vessels and ischemic and petechial hemorrhagic strokes in the affected territories. Discussion and Conclusions: Ischemic infarcts in the setting of CABG or ECMO are often presumed to be thromboembolic from the heart or device, related to underlying hemodynamic instability, or due to a clinically apparent systemic infection such as endocarditis. This report suggests that invasive cerebral aspergillosis should be considered in seemingly immunocompetent patients following CABG or ECMO. The mechanism is unclear, but may be related to systemic inflammatory dysregulation resulting in increased susceptibility to uncommon pathogens.
Neuroaspergillosis, Stroke, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Humans, Female, Coronary Artery Bypass, Middle Aged, Immunocompetence
Neuroaspergillosis, Stroke, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Humans, Female, Coronary Artery Bypass, Middle Aged, Immunocompetence
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 4 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
