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Children (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2022Deep neck infections (DNIs) include all the infections sited in the potential spaces and fascial planes of the neck within the limits of the deep layer of the cervical... (Review)
Review
Deep neck infections (DNIs) include all the infections sited in the potential spaces and fascial planes of the neck within the limits of the deep layer of the cervical fascia. Parapharyngeal and retropharyngeal infections leading to parapharyngeal abscess (PPA) and retropharyngeal abscess (RPA) are the most common. DNIs remain an important health problem, especially in children. The aim of this narrative review is to describe the management of peritonsillar, retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscesses in pediatric age. Despite relatively uncommon, pediatric DNIs deserve particular attention as they can have a very severe course and lead to hospitalization, admission to the intensive care unit and, although very rarely, death. They generally follow a mild upper respiratory infection and can initially present with signs and symptoms that could be underestimated. A definite diagnosis can be made using imaging techniques. Pus collection from the site of infection, when possible, is strongly recommended for definition of diseases etiology. Blood tests that measure the inflammatory response of the patient may contribute to monitor disease evolution. The therapeutic approach should be targeted toward the individual patient. Regardless of the surgical treatment, antibiotics are critical for pediatric DNI prognosis. The diagnostic-therapeutic procedure to be followed in the individual patient is not universally shared because it has not been established which is the most valid radiological approach and which are the criteria to be followed for the differentiation of cases to be treated only with antibiotics and those in which surgery is mandatory. Further studies are needed to ensure the best possible care for all children with DNIs, especially in this era of increased antimicrobial resistance.
PubMed: 35626793
DOI: 10.3390/children9050618 -
Annals of the American Thoracic Society Jun 2018Diseases affecting the ear, nose, and throat are prevalent in intensive care settings and often require combined medical and surgical management. Upper airway occlusion... (Review)
Review
Diseases affecting the ear, nose, and throat are prevalent in intensive care settings and often require combined medical and surgical management. Upper airway occlusion can occur as a result of malignant tumor growth, allergic reactions, and bleeding events and may require close monitoring and interventions by intensivists, sometimes necessitating surgical management. With the increased prevalence of immunocompromised patients, aggressive infections of the head and neck likewise require prompt recognition and treatment. In addition, procedure-specific complications of major otolaryngologic procedures can be highly morbid, necessitating vigilant postoperative monitoring. For optimal outcomes, intensivists need a broad understanding of the pathophysiology and management of life-threatening otolaryngologic disease.
Topics: Critical Care; Disease Management; Humans; Otolaryngology; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
PubMed: 29565639
DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201708-695FR -
Annals of Clinical Microbiology and... Jul 2020The vast majority of patients with peritonsillar abscess (PTA) recover uneventfully on abscess drainage and antibiotic therapy. However, occasionally patient´s... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The vast majority of patients with peritonsillar abscess (PTA) recover uneventfully on abscess drainage and antibiotic therapy. However, occasionally patient´s condition deteriorates as the infection spread in the upper airway mucosa, through cervical tissues, or hematogenously. The bacterial etiology of PTA is unclarified and the preferred antimicrobial regimen remains controversial. The current narrative review was carried out with an aim to (1) describe the spectrum of complications previously recognized in patients with peritonsillar abscess (PTA), (2) describe the bacterial findings in PTA-associated complications, and (3) describe the time relation between PTA and complications.
METHODS
Systematic searches in the Medline and EMBASE databases were conducted and data on cases with PTA and one or more complications were elicited.
RESULTS
Seventeen different complications of PTA were reported. The most frequently described complications were descending mediastinitis (n = 113), para- and retropharyngeal abscess (n = 96), necrotizing fasciitis (n = 38), and Lemierre´s syndrome (n = 35). Males constituted 70% of cases and 49% of patients were > 40 years of age. The overall mortality rate was 10%. The most prevalent bacteria were viridans group streptococci (n = 41, 25%), beta-hemolytic streptococci (n = 32, 20%), F. necrophorum (n = 21, 13%), S. aureus (n = 18, 11%), Prevotella species (n = 17, 10%), and Bacteroides species (n = 14, 9%). Simultaneous diagnosis of PTA and complication was more common (59%) than development of complication after PTA treatment (36%) or recognition of complication prior to PTA (6%).
CONCLUSION
Clinicians involved in the management of PTA patients should be aware of the wide range of complications, which may arise in association with PTA development. Especially males and patients > 40 years of age seem to be at an increased risk of complicated disease. In addition to Group A streptococci and F. necrophorum, the current findings suggest that viridans group streptococci, S. aureus, Prevotella, and Bacteroides may also play occasional roles in the development of PTA as well as spread of infection. Complications occasionally develop in PTA patients, who are treated with antibiotics and surgical drainage.
Topics: Airway Obstruction; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Infections; Drainage; Humans; Peritonsillar Abscess
PubMed: 32731900
DOI: 10.1186/s12941-020-00375-x -
Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and... Nov 2019The increase awareness and advent of anti-tuberculosis therapy led to decline in tuberculosis. Now a resurgence of tuberculosis is with immunosuppression and with...
The increase awareness and advent of anti-tuberculosis therapy led to decline in tuberculosis. Now a resurgence of tuberculosis is with immunosuppression and with resistant strains. The detection rate of extrapulmonary is increased with the advent of newer modalities of detection, imaging, and better testing. This case series documents our experience with seven cases of primary spheno-petro-clival lesion and details of the clinical and radiological presentations of these patients. Intraoperative obtained tissue was send for histopathological and microbiological evaluation. The most common symptoms were headache and nasal discharge. The final diagnosis of spheno-petro-clival tuberculosis was confirmed in all cases with histopathology and by culture post-operatively. Skull base tuberculosis is relative rare entity in past because of late occurrence of specific symptom, incomplete radiological evaluation and it may present as neck swelling by travelling through various neck spaces. (1) Tubercular infection should be considered as differential in skull base lesion as pickup rate is increasing with advancement in technology. (2) Two of our cases had retropharyngeal abscess have focus in skull base bone. The skull base, hence, may be one of foci in undetermined sites of tuberculous infections and should be searched for.
PubMed: 31763248
DOI: 10.1007/s12070-017-1159-5 -
American Family Physician May 2011Croup is a common illness responsible for up to 15 percent of emergency department visits due to respiratory disease in children in the United States. Croup symptoms... (Review)
Review
Croup is a common illness responsible for up to 15 percent of emergency department visits due to respiratory disease in children in the United States. Croup symptoms usually start like an upper respiratory tract infection, with low-grade fever and coryza followed by a barking cough and various degrees of respiratory distress. In most children, the symptoms subside quickly with resolution of the cough within two days. Croup is often caused by viruses, with parainfluenza virus (types 1 to 3) as the most common. However, physicians should consider other diagnoses, including bacterial tracheitis, epiglottitis, foreign body aspiration, peritonsillar abscess, retropharyngeal abscess, and angioedema. Humidification therapy has not been proven beneficial. A single dose of dexamethasone (0.15 to 0.60 mg per kg usually given orally) is recommended in all patients with croup, including those with mild disease. Nebulized epinephrine is an accepted treatment in patients with moderate to severe croup. Most episodes of croup are mild, with only 1 to 8 percent of patients with croup requiring hospital admission and less than 3 percent of admitted patients requiring intubation.
Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Child; Croup; Diagnosis, Differential; Epinephrine; Humans
PubMed: 21534520
DOI: No ID Found -
Ear, Nose, & Throat Journal Sep 2023Deep neck infections are common in infants and occur in several anatomic subsites including the retropharyngeal space. Retropharyngeal abscesses are significant given... (Review)
Review
Deep neck infections are common in infants and occur in several anatomic subsites including the retropharyngeal space. Retropharyngeal abscesses are significant given their propensity for mediastinal extension and can have life-threatening sequelae. We present 3 cases of retropharyngeal abscess with mediastinal extension in infants. In one case, an incompletely vaccinated 10-month-old boy presented with cough, rhinorrhea, and fever. Despite antibiotic treatment, he developed Horner's syndrome and hypoxia. A computed tomography (CT) scan showed a C1-T7 retropharyngeal abscess. He underwent transoral incision and drainage and recovered fully. In another case, a 12-month old infant presented with 8 days of fever and neck pain. A CT scan showed a retropharyngeal collection extending to the mediastinum and right hemithorax. Transoral incision and drainage and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery thoracotomy were performed for abscess drainage. He recovered fully with antibiotics. In the third case, an 8-month-old boy presented to the emergency room following several days of fever, lethargy, and decreased neck range of motion. A CT scan showed a large retropharyngeal abscess that required both transoral and transcervical drainage. His case was complicated by septic shock, yet the patient eventually made a full recovery.
Topics: Male; Infant; Humans; Retropharyngeal Abscess; Mediastinum; Neck; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drainage
PubMed: 37309202
DOI: 10.1177/01455613231178975 -
Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and... Oct 2022Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. We describe an immunocompetent teenager who has her tuberculous retropharyngeal...
Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. We describe an immunocompetent teenager who has her tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess ruptured and then diagnosis confirmed by the presence of acid-fast bacilli from the gastric lavage.
PubMed: 36452768
DOI: 10.1007/s12070-020-01809-w -
Arquivos de Neuro-psiquiatria Jan 2021
Topics: Humans; Retropharyngeal Abscess; Spinal Cord Diseases; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 33656116
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X-anp-2020-0206 -
Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and... Jun 2017To discuss a case of suspected retropharyngeal abscess having important clinical and academic significance. This paper discusses an unusual presentation and evolution of...
To discuss a case of suspected retropharyngeal abscess having important clinical and academic significance. This paper discusses an unusual presentation and evolution of a well known condition such as retropharyngeal abscess. Though the diagnosis in this case was initially a retropharyngeal abscess, several unusual findings were evident, which interfered with the optimal management of the patient. A literature review revealed rare causes and lesions mimicking a retropharyngeal abscess, such as retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis and Kawasaki disease, which are neither familiar to otolaryngologists nor other specialists such as orthopedicians. It is possible that this patient was both over treated and undertreated at the same time. Though the diagnosis in this case could not be established with certainty, several important pieces of information came up, especially unusual causes of retropharyngeal abscess and management of the same. Retropharyngeal abscess is a well-known condition with established modes of management. However, certain variations may occur and may pose challenges in diagnosis and management. These variations are little known and need to be highlighted so that optimal management is ensured.
PubMed: 28607904
DOI: 10.1007/s12070-017-1105-6