Herpes simplex meningitis after vestibular schwannoma surgery: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND

Herpes is the most common cause of viral encephalitis in the young population. Herpes meningitis following brain surgery is very rare, however. Only a few cases are reported in the literature, and only one concerned an infection after vestibular schwannoma surgery.

OBSERVATIONS: The authors report a case of a 44-year-old patient who developed severe herpes meningitis a few days after removal of a large cystic vestibular schwannoma.

LESSONS: Herpes simplex virus meningitis following a posterior fossa surgery must be considered when patients develop atypical symptoms a few days after surgery.