A story of courage, timeliness and medical expertise had as its protagonist a 65-year-old woman, Angela Cortese, resident in Orta di Atella, saved from a rare and lethal degenerative disease: multiple brain abscesses.
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A case that, according to statistics, has a survival rate of less than 0,10% in Italy. It all started with apparently common symptoms: a strong headache accompanied by high fever (39°C) and high blood pressure.
After visiting several emergency rooms in the Naples area, Angela and her family were sent home several times, even though the woman's conditions were progressively worsening.
“After hours of waiting, they told us that there was nothing serious. But the symptoms always started again, and we didn't know what to do anymore”, says his son Giovanni.
The turning point came when the family decided to turn to theAORN Saint Anne and Saint Sebastian of Caserta. Here, thanks to a prompt and competent medical team, a brain MRI with contrast medium was immediately performed.
The images revealed multiple brain lesions, which in such cases could easily be mistaken for tumors. However, doctors immediately recognized the infectious nature of the lesions: they were multiple brain abscesses, a rare and potentially fatal condition.
“If they hadn't intervened promptly, my mother would have died within a few hours”, the son explained. The location of the abscesses, in fact, made surgery almost impossible. The only hope was a targeted and immediate antibiotic therapy.
The woman was urgently transferred to the Infectious and Tropical Diseases department, where an excellent medical team, composed of doctors Addolorata Masiello, Filomena Simeone, Giovanni Di Caprio, Valentina Iodice, Angelo Iodice and Angela Salzillo, deployed all available resources.
“My mother saved in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases department of Caserta hospital”
“They started a timely antibiotic and cortisone therapy, hitting the right one. If they had made a mistake, it would have been fatal,” his son specified.
The following months were a succession of challenges: Angela fell into a soporific state several times, but the medical team was always ready to intervene, demonstrating professionalism and dedication. Today, after a long hospital stay, the woman is out of danger, a true miracle considering the severity of the pathology.
“I thank these extraordinary doctors for saving my mother. They were impeccable and did the impossible”, says his son Giovanni, with a voice full of emotion.
A story that not only highlights the importance of timely diagnosis and high-level medical care, but also delivers a message of hope: even in the face of extremely rare and seemingly insurmountable diseases, science and the humanity of healthcare professionals can make the difference between life and death.
Article published on March 22, 2025 - 11pm
