Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vvkck Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T16:25:59.539Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Parapharyngeal abscesses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

D. S. Sethi  and
R. E. Stanley
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Fifty-five patients with deep neck infections treated consecutively over a period of six and a half years between January 1983 and July 1989 were reviewed. Nine of these patients had abscesses localized to the pharapharyngeal space and form the basis of this study. The aetiology of the parapharyngeal abscess was odontogenic in two patients and remained unknown in the other seven. Five patients had associated systemic disease; four were diabetics and one patient had non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

High dosage intravenous antibiotics directed towards the causative micro-organisms, airway control and early surgical intervention was the mainstay of treatment. All patients underwent open surgical drainage of the parapharyngeal abscess within 24 h of admission. Bacteriology results showed Klebsiella sp. to be the dominant micro-organism cultured in four patients. Morbidity was low; seven patients had no post-operative complications and were discharged from the hospital between 7–24d (mean 12.9 d). There were two deaths.

Early open surgical drainage remains the most appropriate method of treating parapharyngeal space infections; it avoids life threatening complications with rapid recovery.

Keywords

Parapharyngeal abscess
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 105 , Issue 12 , December 1991 , pp. 1025 - 1030
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bartlett, J. G., Gorbach, S. L. (1976) Anaerobic infections of the head and neck. Otolaryngolic Clinics of North America, 9: 655–678.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beck, H. J., Selassa, J. R., McCaffrey, T. V., Hermans, P. E. (1984) Life threatening soft tissue infections of the neck. Laryngoscope, 94: 354–362.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chow, A. W., Roser, S. M., Brady, F. A. (1978) Orofacial odontogenic infections. Annals of Internal Medicine, 88: 392–408.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Marie, S., Tjon, A., Tham, R. T., van der Mey, A. G., Meerdink, G., van, Forth, van der Meer, J. W. (1989) Clinical infections and non-surgical treatment of parapharyngeal space infections complicating throat infections. Review of Infectious Diseases, 11: 975–982.Google Scholar
Eliachar, I., Peleg, H., Jochims, H. Z. (1981) Mediastinitis and bilateral pyopneumothorax complicating a parapharyngeal abscess. Head Neck Surgery, 3: 438–442.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grodinsky, M. (1939) Retropharyngeal and lateral pharyngeal abscesses: An anatomic and clinical study. Annals of Surgery, 110: 177–199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hadlock, F. P., Wallace, R. J. Jr, Rivera, M. (1979) Pulmonary septic embolic secondary to parapharyngeal abscess: Postangial sepsis. Radiology, 130: 29–33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harbour, R. C., Trobe, J. D., Ballinger, W. E. (1984) Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis associated with gingivitis and parapharyngeal abscess. Archives of Ophthalmology, 102: 94–97.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Langenbrunner, D. J., Dajani, S. (1971) Pharyngomaxillary space abscess with carotid artery erosion. Archives of Otolaryngology, 94: 447–457.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paonessa, D. F., Goldstein, J. C. (1976) Anatomy and physiology of head and neck infections (with emphasis on fascia of face and neck). Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, 9: 561–579.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tom, M. B., Rice, D. H. (1988) Presentation and management of neck abscess: A retrospective analysis. Laryngoscope, 98: 877–880.Google Scholar
Wills, P. I., Vernon, R. P. Jr (1981) Complications of space infections of the head and neck. Laryngoscope, 91: 1129–1136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed