Oral voriconazole for invasive fungal skull base infection

Background: Intravenous amphotericin or intravenous voriconazole, both followed by oral voriconazole, have previously been given to treat invasive aspergillosis of the skull base. Case report: Exclusively oral voriconazole was used in an immunocompetent patient with biopsy-proven, invasive aspergillosis. She had a large, erosive lesion extending from the central skull base to the right orbit and ethmoid sinus, and displacing the right internal carotid artery. After four months of oral treatment as an out-patient, a repeated computed tomography scan showed a fully treated infection with post-infectious changes only, and treatment was terminated. Two years later, there had been no recurrence. Conclusion: Substantial cost savings were made by using exclusively oral treatment, compared with the use of intravenous voriconazole or amphotericin, or a switch strategy.