[Treatment of peripharyngeal abscesses by means of intra-oral puncture-aspiration and drainage]. / Tratamiento de los abscesos perifaríngeos mediante punción-aspiración y drenaje por vía intraoral.

INTRODUCTION: Parapharyngeal and retropharyngeal abscesses are life-threatening infections, with a much lower incidence since the advent of antibiotics. However, they still represent a considerable number of emergency visits to reference centres where they are managed with various protocols to improve both morbidity and mortality. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Medical records of 25 consecutive patients at our institution (17 adults and 8 children) diagnosed and treated with the same protocol for peripharyngeal abscess were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: All cases were managed using a minimally-invasive intra-oral approach, with resolution of the clinical findings and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Puncture with intra-oral aspiration and/or drainage of peripharyngeal abscesses is an effective option instead of the external approach.

Tratamiento de los abscesos perifaríngeos mediante punción-aspiración y drenaje por vía intraoral / Treatment of peripharyngeal abscesses by means of intra-oral puncture-aspiration and drainage

Introducción: Los abscesos perifaríngeos son infecciones graves, potencialmente mortales, cuya frecuencia de aparición ha descendido considerablemente desde el advenimiento de la antibioterapia. Sin embargo, aún representan un destacable número de urgencias en los centros hospitalarios de referencia, donde se emplean diversos protocolos para mejorar tanto la morbilidad como la mortalidad asociada a ellos. Pacientes y método: Estudio retrospectivo de 25 pacientes consecutivos (17 adultos y 8 niños) diagnosticados y tratados de flemones-abscesos perifaríngeos (retrofaríngeos y parafaríngeos). Resultados: El manejo de estos pacientes de forma mínimamente agresiva mediante el abordaje intraoral permitió en todos los casos la resolución del problema clínico. Conclusiones: La punción-aspiración y/o el drenaje intraoral de los abscesos perifaríngeos son una alternativa eficaz al abordaje externo

Introduction: Parapharyngeal and retropharyngeal abscesses are life-threatening infections, with a much lower incidence since the advent of antibiotics. However, they still represent a considerable number of emergency visits to reference centres where they are managed with various protocols to improve both morbidity and mortality. Patients and method: Medical records of 25 consecutive patients at our institution (17 adults and 8 children) diagnosed and treated with the same protocol for peripharyngeal abscess were retrospectively reviewed. Results: All cases were managed using a minimally-invasive intra-oral approach, with resolution of the clinical findings and symptoms. Conclusions: Puncture with intra-oral aspiration and/or drainage of peripharyngeal abscesses is an effective option instead of the external approach