Clinical evaluation of antibiotic regimens in patients with surgically verified parapharyngeal abscess: a prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different antibiotic regimens for the treatment of parapharyngeal abscess (PPA) and characterize patients, who suffered potentially preventable complications (defined as death, abscess recurrence, spread of infection, or altered antibiotic treatment because of insufficient progress). METHODS: Sixty adult patients with surgically verified PPA were prospectively enrolled at five Danish Ear-nose-throat departments. RESULTS: Surgical treatment included internal incision (100%), external incision (13%), and tonsillectomy (88%). Patients were treated with penicillin G ± metronidazole (n = 39), cefuroxime ± metronidazole (n = 16), or other antibiotics (n = 5). Compared to penicillin-treated patients, cefuroxime-treated patients were hospitalized for longer (4.5 vs 3.0 days, p = 0.007), were more frequently admitted to intensive care (56 vs 15%, p = 0.006), underwent external incision more frequently (31 vs 5%, p = 0.018), and suffered more complications (50 vs 18%, p = 0.022), including re-operation because of abscess recurrence (44 vs 3%, p < 0.001). Nine patients suffered potentially preventable complications. These patients displayed significantly higher C-reactive protein levels, received antibiotics prior to admission more frequently, underwent external incision more commonly, and were admitted to intensive care more frequently compared to other patients. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with PPA were effectively managed by abscess incision, tonsillectomy, and penicillin G ± metronidazole. Cefuroxime-treated patients were more severely ill at time of admission and had worse outcome compared to penicillin-treated patients. We recommend penicillin G + metronidazole as standard treatment for patients with PPA, but in cases with more risk factors for potentially preventable complications, we recommend aggressive surgical and broadened antibiotic therapy, e.g. piperacillin-tazobactam.

Microbiology of parapharyngeal abscesses in adults: in search of the significant pathogens.

We aimed to describe the microbiology of parapharyngeal abscess (PPA) and point out the likely pathogens using the following principles to suggest pathogenic significance: (1) frequent recovery, (2) abundant growth, (3) growth in relative abundance to other microorganisms, (4) percentage of the isolates recovered in both absolute and relative abundance, (5) more frequent recovery in PPA pus compared with tonsillar surface and tissue. Comprehensive bacterial cultures were performed on specimens obtained from adult patients (n = 60) with surgically verified PPA, who were prospectively enrolled at five Danish ear-nose-throat departments. The prevalent isolates (in PPA pus) were unspecified anaerobes (73%), non-hemolytic streptococci (67%), Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) (40%), Corynebacterium spp. (25%), Neisseria spp. (23%), Fusobacterium spp. (22%), Fusobacterium necrophorum (17%), Prevotella spp. (12%), and Streptococcus pyogenes (10%). The bacteria most frequently isolated in heavy (maximum) growth were unspecified anaerobes (60%), SAG (40%), F. necrophorum (23%), and Prevotella spp. (17%). The predominant microorganisms (those found in highest relative abundance) were unspecified anaerobes (53%), SAG (28%), non-hemolytic streptococci (25%), F. necrophorum (15%), S. pyogenes (10%), and Prevotella spp. (10%). Four potential pathogens were found in both heavy growth and highest relative abundance in at least 50% of cases: F. necrophorum, Prevotella spp., SAG, and S. pyogenes. SAG, Prevotella spp., F. necrophorum, S. pyogenes, and Bacteroides spp. were recovered with the same or higher frequency from PPA pus compared with tonsillar tissue and surface. Our findings suggest that SAG, F. necrophorum, Prevotella, and S. pyogenes are significant pathogens in PPA development.

Cold steel versus impedance-dependent tissue sealer tonsillectomy - a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 7,000 tonsillectomies are performed annually in Denmark on a benign basis. The cold steel surgical technique is the gold standard. The risk of post tonsillectomy bleeding (PTH) in a centre in Jutland is 7.9%. A new impedance-dependent tissue sealer (IDTS) device has been developed, with preliminary results showing a reduction in operation time, perioperative bleeding and post-operative risk of bleeding of 4.5%. METHODS: A randomised, controlled, double-blinded multicentre trial of cold steel tonsillectomy versus IDTS will be performed on 1,250 patients. The main endpoint is PTH, perioperative bleeding, operation time and post-operative pain. The secondary outcomes are days until return to work, food intake, activity and quality of life. Included in the study are patients with indication for surgery weighing ≥ 16 kg, and excluded are patients with malignancy, bleeding disorders and unwillingness to participate in the study. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, the present study is the largest randomised controlled trial in ENT surgery in the Nordic countries. The study will potentially provide evidence on PTH regarding two tonsillectomy methods. FUNDING: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to declare. The study is supplied with instruments from Medtronic needed for the surgical procedures. Furthermore, a minor part of the funding of the entire project is provided by the aforementioned company. The funding providers have no role in design or conduct of the study. CLINICALTRIALS: gov with the identification number NCT05270109.

[Bilateral sarcoidosis of parotid glands]. / Bilateral sarkoidose i glandula parotis.

We describe an unusual case of sarcoidosis in which the patient presented with a bilateral swelling of the parotid salivary glands and no other manifestation of the disease. Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown cause in which there may be multiple exocrine involvement, including the salivary glands. This case emphasises the importance of including sarcoidosis in the differential diagnosis of bilateral parotid swelling.

Short-time infusion of oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) in combination with capecitabine (Xeloda) in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Neuropathy exacerbated by exposure to cold is a dose-limiting toxicity of oxaliplatin. The incidence of this side effect is claimed to dependent on infusion rate and therefore a 2-h infusion is often recommended. For practical reasons and for the convenience of the patient, we used XELOX (Xeloda 2000 mg/m2 orally on days 1-14 and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 as a 30-min infusion on day 1) in patients with advanced colorectal cancer resistant to irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil. Thirty-four consecutive patients received a median of 5 courses of XELOX. Nine patients obtained partial response (PR) (response rate (RR) 26%), 11 patients no change (NC), 7 patients disease progression (PD) and 7 patients were not evaluable. Median time to progression was 4.7 (2.6-7.6) months and median survival was 7.4 (6.0-11.3) months. Sixteen patients had neuropathy grade 1, four patients grade 2 and two patients grade 3. Short-time infusion of oxaliplatin and capecitabine is an active and convenient second-line regimen with a safety profile similar to that of other oxaliplatin schedules.