ISOLATED CEREBRAL MUCORMYCOSIS - CASE-REPORT AND THERAPEUTIC CONSIDERATIONS

CEREBRAL MUCORMYCOSIS (WITHOUT associated involvement of and invasion from the nasal sinuses and turbinates) is an extremely rare opportunis tic infection of the central nervous system. We report the case of an intravenous drug abuser (who was negative for the human immunodeficien cy virus) who presented with hemiparesis on the right side, slurred sp eech, altered mental status, and an unsteady gait. Imaging studies rev ealed a large left-side basal ganglia lesion. A stereotactic biopsy ob tained a tissue sample that revealed wide, nonseptated hyphal fragment s with granulomatous inflammation. The patient was treated with 3 gm o f amphotericin B during a 5-month period. The patient had no residual neurological dysfunction after treatment. Open surgical resection was not employed. This case suggests that stereotactic biopsy followed by long-term amphotericin B therapy, in lieu of open surgical resection, represents a viable treatment option for this rare disorder.