Rhino-cerebral mucormycosis: report of three cases

Abstract

Mucormycosis, which occurs especially in patients with immune insufficiency or diabetes mellitus and caused by fungi of the "Mucorales" class, is an invasive fungal infection resulting in high mortality and morbidity. While disseminated or pulmonary forms are more common in patients with immune insufficiency, rhino-orbito-cerebral form is more common in patients with diabetes mellitus. Wide surgical debridement of all infected tissues, administration of amphotericin B and control of underlying diabetes mellitus or immune insufficiency are the three main components of treatment of the disease. In this article, three cases of mucormycosis, which were treated in our hospital in 1999, 2000 and 2001 respectively, are presented and diagnostic and therapeutic steps of the disease are reviewed under the light of the related literature.

Keywords

• fungal infection
• rhino-cerebral mucormycosis
• cavernous sinus thrombosis
• maxillectomy
• amphotericin b.