Role of steroids in conservative treatment of parapharyngeal and retropharyngeal abscess in children.

PURPOSE: To characterize the clinical features and outcomes of pediatric patients with retropharyngeal (RPA) or parapharyngeal abscesses (PPA) managed only with medical treatment and showing the importance of early symptoms and imaging studies in the diagnosis of deep neck space infections (DNIs) in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with RPA and PPA between 2007 and 2017 was performed in Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. RESULTS: 30 children were identified, with 11 RPA and 19 PPA. 23 children (76.7%) were under 5 years old, and all were treated with intravenous amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and corticosteroids. Torticollis and fever were present in all patients. The mean length of hospital stay was 7.5 days. There were no complications associated. CONCLUSION: DNIs can be treated in a conservative way, reserving the surgical drainage for cases with a complication associated (airway compromise, lack of response to antibiotic therapy, immunocompromised patients). Treatment with intravenous antibiotics and corticosteroids is a safe option, reducing the duration of symptoms and the length of hospital stay.

Deep neck space infections: an upward trend and changing characteristics.

PURPOSE: This study reviews our experience with deep neck space infections (DNIs) requiring surgical intervention, including cervical necrotizing fasciitis. The aim of the study was to identify predisposing and aggravating factors of the disease and recognize the possible factors that can lead to life-threatening complications and slow down the healing process. METHODS: We compare the results to previous data from 1985 to 2005 to find possible alterations and changing trends. The characteristics of four lethal cases are described. This retrospective analysis includes patient data from 2004 to 2015 in tertiary referral hospital and in total, 277 patients were found. RESULTS: Surgical drainage through a neck opening ± intraoral incision was made in 215 (77.6%) patients, an intraoral incision was only made in 62 patients (22.4%). ICU care was needed in 66 (23.8%) cases. Odontogenic etiology (44.8%) was the most common origin. The most common comorbidity was a psychiatric disorder and/or dementia and occurred in 55 (19.9%) patients. Patients with underlying illnesses were more likely to be admitted to the ICU (p = 0.020), required a longer ICU stay (p = 0.004) and repeated surgery (p = 0.009). Gas formation seemed to be predictive of a more severe course of infection. Early extraction of the odontogenic foci was related to a lower length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.039). CONCLUSION: The annual numbers have risen from 14 to 24 cases per year when compared to previous data. DNIs remain a cause of lethal complications; the mortality was 1.4% and overall complications occurred in 61 (22.0%) patients.

Deep neck space infections in end-stage renal disease patients: Prevalence and mortality.

Deep neck space infections (DNSI) are severe infections within the layers of neck fascia that are known to be associated with underlying immunocompromised states. Although uremia associated with kidney disease is known to cause immune system dysfunction, DNSI in patients with kidney disease has been poorly studied. This study investigated the prevalence of DNSI and the associated risk of mortality within the United States end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population, using a retrospective cohort study design and the United States Renal Data System database of patients (ages 18-100) who initiated dialysis therapy between 2005 and 2019. International Classification of Disease-9 and -10 codes were used to identify the diagnosis of DNSI and comorbid conditions. Of the 705,891 included patients, 2.2% had a diagnosis of DNSI. Variables associated with increased risk of DNSI were female sex, black compared to white race, catheter, or graft compared to arteriovenous fistula (AVF) access, autoimmune disease, chronic tonsillitis, diagnoses in the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), tobacco use, and alcohol dependence. DNSI diagnosis was an independent risk factor for mortality, which was also associated with other comorbidity factors such as older age, catheter or graft compared to AVF access, comorbidities in the CCI, tobacco use, and alcohol dependence. Because of the increased mortality risk of DSNI in the ESRD population, health professionals should encourage good oral hygiene practices and smoking cessation, and they should closely monitor these patients to reduce poor outcomes.

Etiology and Complications of Deep Neck Space Infections: A Hospital Based Retrospective Study.

Infections of the deep spaces of the neck often present a true clinical challenge to a Head and Neck surgeon which may rapidly spread due to the various connections between the spaces resulting in morbidity and mortality. This study aims to obtain knowledge about various DNSI's and their predisposing factors.. It was a hospital based retrospective cross-sectional study done in Goa Medical College, India. A total of 300 patients who presented with DNSI's over the past 7 years were studied. Simple proportions and percentages were calculated and Chi-square test was used to study associations. A total of 300 patients were evaluated and male preponderance was seen. Most of the patients were seen belonging to the pediatric age group (26%). Infections of dental origin (45.67%) were the most common etiological factor associated with poor oral hygiene and tobacco chewing (12.67%). Major comorbidities were anemia (34%) and diabetes (19.3%) which were directly related to the complications. The most common complication was airway compromise (14.66%) which was treated by tracheostomy. DNSI should be treated like a medical as well as a surgical emergency which can be life-threatening especially in diabetics and elderly who are immunocompromised and need special attention. Odontogenic infections associated with poor oral hygiene and tobacco chewing could be prevented by educating the population about oral hygiene.

Deep Neck Space Infections: Current Trends and Intricacies of Management?

This study aims to describe the current epidemiological and etiological trends for deep neck space infections (DNIs) with an objective to understand the intricacies of their management. In this retrospective analytical study records of 52 patients with DNIs were reviewed. Patients having superficial abscess, peritonsillar abscess and abscess due to trauma/surgical procedure were excluded. Various epidemiological and etiological parameters (Demography, site, presentation, etiology, association with co-morbidities, bacteriology) and management guidelines (need for surgical interventions for DNIs and airway management, hospital stay duration, treatment outcome and complications) were reviewed and analyzed. Study recorded preponderance of DNIs in males (male:female = 1.6:1) and in younger generation (50% of patients presenting in first 2 decades). Commonest etiology being odontogenic infections (38.46%) followed by URTIs and tonsillopharyngitis (19.23%). Submandibular space involvement was noted in 42.3% cases followed by parapharyngeal space involvement in 21.15%. Nearly 55% cases of submandibular space involvement were because of odontogenic causes. 69.23% culture specimens reported no growth. 61.53% patients were diagnosed with anaemia. Up to 80% required open surgical drainage. All received broad spectrum antibiotics as a starting regime. No severe complications were recorded. Understanding the current epidemiological and etiological trends can help in early and definitive diagnosis of DNIs. Empirical starting treatment regime including broad spectrum antibiotics (till sensitivity pattern is availed) and maintaining low threshold for required surgical intervention are required to manage DNIs satisfactorily. Selected cases should be given conservative trials with close monitoring.

Deep Neck Space Infection a Study of 150 Cases at Tertiary Care Hospital.

Deep neck space infection (DNSI) is the infection of the potential space in the Neck; in this study our aim is to identify various aetiological causes, common site, bacteriology, and complications arising from it. DNSI is traditionally managed by prompt surgical drainage of the abscess followed by culture specific antibiotics. It is a prospective cross sectional type of study done conducted on 150 patients suffering from DNSI, it was conducted from March 2019 to March 2020 (1 year duration) at Department of ENT and Head & Neck Surgery, A.B.V Govt Medical College, Vidisha, MP, India. In our study, the majority of patients were in the 31-40 year age group. 53.33% were male 44.66% were female. Pain in the swelling was the most common symptom identified in 46.66% patients. Odontogenic infection 42.66% was the most common etiological factor, Ludwig angina 24.66% was the common site of presentation. Streptococcus species was found on pus culture 31.33%. Surgical intervention incision & drainage was carried out in 38% patients and emergency tracheostomy was required in 12% cases. DNSI is a potential life threatening condition; patients should be treated with Incision and drainage along with intravenous antibiotics which is subsequently updated to culture & sensitivity report. Due to poor oral hygiene, chronic irritation by caries tooth, chewing beetle nut and tobacco, odontogenic cause has became major etiological factor for DNSI. Regular dental checkups, general awareness about oral hygiene are a must to prevent dental infections as odontogenic is leading cause of DNSI in our study.

Complications and Diagnosis of Branchial Cleft Cysts: A Case Report.

Branchial cleft cysts (BCCs) are congenital anomalies that can be found in children and young adults. The exact incidence of these anomalies is unknown as the diagnosis may be missed. Branchial cleft cysts can present in a variety of locations depending on the cleft they are derived from. Regardless of location, branchial cleft cysts are rather benign. However, a variety of complications can arise due to infection, and infections are often recurrent. Diagnosis may occur incidentally on imaging studies as such studies are often performed to rule out a variety of complications from infections alone. Treatment includes first treating any infection and any such complications that exist, followed by surgical excision. Surgical excision is performed to prevent the recurrence of infection. A case of a 14-year-old female with a painful swollen throat, trismus, and difficulty swallowing is reported.

Tongue protrusion as the presenting symptom of parapharyngeal abscess.

Deep neck space infections are commonly seen in the pediatric population. The diagnosis, however, can be challenging to make and requires a high degree of suspicion because of developmental and age-related factors in children and non-specific presenting symptoms. Diagnosis becomes further complicated in patients whose comorbid conditions mask some of the more severe systemic symptoms. We present a case of a 2-year-old female with Trisomy 21 who presented with a chief concern of "tongue swelling" per parents. After initially failing treatment for presumed angioedema caused by an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, she was ultimately diagnosed with a parapharyngeal abscess with extension and mass effect causing tongue protrusion. This case represents a novel early presentation of a common infection and highlights the challenges of diagnosing deep neck space infections in children.

Deep Neck Space Infection in HIV-Infected Children: A Case Series.

Background Deep neck space infections (DNSIs) in children may lead to airway compromise and damage to the great vessels in the neck. They occur more commonly in the HIV-infected population. To our knowledge, this is the first case series of DNSI in HIV-infected children Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the demography and document the sites of infection; organisms identified and resistance patterns in HIV-infected children with DNSI. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of children (<16 years) diagnosed with deep neck infections at the teaching hospitals for the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, between January 2010 and December 2018. Results We identified 17 patients with DNSI of which six children had concomitant HIV infection. The average age at presentation was six years (range: 0.35-13 years); there were four males and two females. The most common site involved was the submandibular space, which was affected in four patients. The detected organisms included: Coagulase-negative staphylococcus, Streptococcus viridans, Prevotella, Proteus mirabilis and Bacteroides fragilis. The organisms were universally resistant to penicillin and ampicillin resistance was documented in all but one patient. Conclusion Our findings on microbiology, resistance and tuberculosis culture are significant even in the face of a small series and have implications for the diagnosis and treatment of DNSI in HIV-infected children. Tuberculosis should routinely be considered in high burden settings. We recommend the empiric use of a ß-lactamase-resistant antibiotic until targeted therapy based on culture and sensitivity can be instituted.

Severe odontogenic deep neck space infections: risk factors for difficult airways and ICU admissions.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate perioperative risk factors concerning difficult airway management, primary tracheostomy, and need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission in severe odontogenic space infections. METHODS: Perioperative risk factors were retrospectively analyzed in 499 cases. Fisher's exact test and analysis of variance were performed to analyze associations between categorical and continuous variables. Univariate regression analysis was used for estimating predictors for ICU admission. A risk model for ICU admission was performed using multivariate regression analysis. Area-under-the-curve (AUC) was calculated by receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: Airway securing in patients with restricted mouth opening led to significant use of the video laryngoscope (p < 0.001) or fiberoptic bronchoscope (p < 0.001). The use of fiberoptic bronchoscopy was significantly increased in patients with dysphagia (p = 0.005) and dyspnea (p = 0.04). Four patients (0.8%) needed primary tracheostomy. ICU admission was significantly associated with higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP, p = 2.78 × 10-5), white blood cell count (WBC, p = 0.003), dyspnea (p = 9.95 × 10-6), and higher body mass index (BMI, p = 0.0003). American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASA PS) class III patients (p = 0.04) and the need for the use of a video laryngoscopy (p = 0.003) or fiberoptic bronchoscopy (p = 6.58 × 10-5) resulted in a more frequent ICU admission. The AUC of the model was 0.897. CONCLUSION: Difficult airway management was mainly dependent on limited mouth opening and elevated CRP. Elevated CRP, BMI, ASA PS III, and dyspnea were important risk factors for ICU admission. These predictors should be considered preoperatively for proper planning and preparation.

A Study on Deep Neck Space Infections.

Deep neck space infections (DNSI) are serious diseases that involve several spaces in the neck. These are commonly seen in low socioeconomic group with poor oral hygiene, and nutritional disorders. These are bacterial infections originating from the upper aerodigestive tract. The incidence of this disease was relatively high before the advent of antibiotics. Treatment of DNSI includes antibiotic therapy, airway management and surgical intervention. Management of DNSI is traditionally based on prompt surgical drainage of the abscess followed by antibiotics or nonsurgical treatment using appropriate antibiotics in the case of cellulitis. This study was conducted to investigate the age and gender, clinical symptoms, site involved, etiology, co-morbidities, bacteriology, complications and outcomes in the patients of DNSI. A prospective study of deep neck space infections was conducted during the period July 2017 to July 2018 on the patients who attended the outpatient department and were admitted as inpatient in Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi. 40 Cases with DNSI all ages and both genders were included in the study. Patients who didn't require surgical intervention to drain pus were excluded. All parameters including age, gender, co-morbidities, presentation, site, bacteriology, complications, and investigations were studied. Due to advent of antibiotics, deep neck space infections are in decreasing trend. The common age group found to be affected is in 2nd and 3rd decade in our study. Out of all deep neck space infections, submandibular space infections were common (37.5%) followed by peritonsillar infections (12.5%). Infection of deep neck space remains fairly common and challenging disease for clinicians. Prompt recognition and treatment of DNSI are essential for an improved prognosis. Odontogenic and tonsillopharyngitis are the commonest cause. Key elements for improved results are the prompt recognition and early intervention. Special attention is required to high-risk groups such as diabetics, the elderly and patients with underlying systemic diseases as the condition may progress to life-threatening complications.

Acute suppurative thyroiditis misdiagnosed as subacute thyroiditis with deep neck space infections and Lemierre's syndrome: a case reported and literature reviewed / 中国综合临床

Acute suppurative thyroiditis(AST) is a rare thyroid disease, mostly caused by infections such as Staphylococcus aureus, and it is difficult to distinguish from subacute thyroiditis(SAT) at the beginning of the disease. Here we report the clinical data of a young male patient who was initially misdiagnosed as SAT, but was clinically diagnosed as AST with DNSIs accompanied by LS. The clinical features and treatment, combined with related literature, aim to enhance clinicians' understanding of this disease.

Is vessel narrowing secondary to pediatric deep neck space infections of clinical significance?

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric deep neck space infections (DNSI) may cause internal jugular vein and/or carotid artery narrowing. Radiologists and otolaryngologists are often queried by emergency room providers and pediatricians with regards to the clinical significance when this radiographic finding is noted. There are often questions raised about need for further imaging, anticoagulation and overall management strategy. There is limited data to support our answers to these questions. This study investigated the clinical significance of vessel narrowing of the internal jugular vein and carotid artery in the setting of DNSI in children. METHODS: 208 patients over a 10 year period were reviewed in retrospective fashion. CT scans reports were evaluated for vessel narrowing, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: This study found that nearly half (44.7%, 93 of 208) of pediatric DNSIs reviewed showed evidence of either carotid and/or internal jugular vein narrowing. There was no significant difference in vascular complications in those with vessel narrowing and those without (p = 0.09). There were no observed neurologic complications in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Vessel narrowing is a very common finding in pediatric DNSI. Vascular complications are very rare, and importantly no patients had neurologic complications in either group (vessel narrowing or not). We found no evidence to support more aggressive surgical management, getting further imaging, starting anticoagulation, nor changing overall management strategy for patients based solely to the finding of vessel narrowing in DNSI.

A Perspective of Clinical Behaviour and Management of Deep Neck Space Infections (DNSI): The Clinical Conundrum.

The diagnosis and management of deep neck space infections remain a challenging task for otolaryngologists. A retrospective observational analysis of 137 cases of deep neck infections at a tertiary care centre was reviewed. We present 137 treated cases of DNSIs in a retrospective 5 years clinical study conducted in the department of otolaryngology at a tertiary care center from January 2012 to December 2016. Demographic information, Socio-economic data, etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, spaces involved, diagnosis, and treatment strategies, associated morbidities, course and complications were analysed and compared with past experiences. Odontogenic and salivary gland infections causes were the most common source of DNIs. Major complication observed was skin defect. In this study, submandibular space infection was found to be the most common space involved in DNSI. Pain (100%) was the most common clinical complaint followed by neck swelling (65.69%). Staphylococcus aureus (38 cases) was the most common micro-organism isolated. Surgical intervention was the main modality of treatment and there was one mortality. DNSIs are fairly common challenging and potentially lethal entities which can lead to severe complications in a very short time, should there be delay in its prompt diagnosis and management. Computerized Tomography Scan (CT scan) with contrast is the investigation of choice in diagnosing DNSIs. Assessment of airway control must take precedence.

Bilateral deep neck space infection in the paediatric age group: a case report and review of the literature.

Deep neck space infections can occur at any age but require more intimate management in the paediatric age group because of their rapidly progressive nature. Concurrent abscess in distinct neck spaces has rarely been reported in healthy children. Herewith, a rare case of bilateral neck abscess is reported in a 16-month-old female and the clinical presentation and management are discussed with a review of the literature.

Presentation and management of deep neck space abscess.

OBJECTIVE: To study the presentation, etiology, microbiology and morbidity of deep neck space infections. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study Methods: 29 patients admitted in Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Mangulore, India between January 1997 and December 2002 with deep neck space infections.,were included in the study. REMITS: The most common space involved was the parapharyngeul space. No specific etiology was determined in .38%; an odontogenic cause was discovered in 28% of the patients; tonsillar/pharyngeal infections in 24% of patients and foreign body impaction in 7% of cases. The main morbidity was due to mediastinitis (5 patients). I patient succumbed to the disease. Mixed flora with aerobic and anaerobic infections was identified in most of the cases.