Table 2.

Intracranial complications of acute bacterial meningitis in adults

Important neurological complications
Brain edema	10–30%
Cerebrovascular complications: • cerebral arterial complications: vasculitis, vasospasm, focal cortical hyperperfusion, affection of cerebral autoregulation, septic sinus thrombosis and thrombosis of cortical veins	15–40%
Hydrocephalus	10–15%
Vestibulocochlear complications (hearing loss, vestibulopathy)	10–30%
Cranial nerve palsy	ca. 10%
Cerebritis	< 5%
Epileptic seizures	15–30%
Rare complications of bacterial meningitis: brain abscess, subdural empyema