Questions and answers

Why is retropharyngeal abscess common in children?

Why is retropharyngeal abscess common in children?

Who’s at risk? Retropharyngeal abscess occurs most commonly in children between the ages of two and four. Young children are more susceptible to this infection because they have lymph nodes in the throat that can become infected. As a young child matures, these lymph nodes begin to recede.

How is retropharyngeal abscess treated?

Most people with a retropharyngeal abscess do well with prompt treatment. First, people are given antibiotics such as ceftriaxone or clindamycin by vein. For both children and adults, doctors insert a plastic breathing tube through the mouth into the windpipe (trachea) to keep the airway open.

Is retropharyngeal abscess life-threatening?

Retropharyngeal abscess is a collection of pus in the tissues in the back of the throat. It can be a life-threatening medical condition.

How is retropharyngeal abscess diagnosed?

Retropharyngeal abscesses, most common among young children, can cause sore throat, fever, neck stiffness, and stridor. Diagnosis requires lateral neck x-ray or CT. Treatment is with endotracheal intubation, drainage, and antibiotics.

Which age group is most likely to develop retropharyngeal abscesses?

In children, retropharyngeal abscesses develop most frequently between the ages of 2 and 4 years.

Which is the most serious complication of acute retropharyngeal abscess?

Complications of retropharyngeal abscess may include the following [62, 63, 64, 65, 4, 7] :

  • Airway obstruction.
  • Acute necrotizing mediastinitis – 25% mortality in adults.
  • Aspiration pneumonia.
  • Sepsis.
  • Pleural involvement.
  • Atlanto-occipital dislocation.
  • Epidural abscess.
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

Is retropharyngeal abscess an emergency?

Retropharyngeal abscess (RPA) is an ENT emergency due to the possibility of life-threatening airway complications. Patients with RPA typically have localized symptoms of dysphagia, voice changes, odynophagia, trismus, and neck/jaw pain.

Is retropharyngeal abscess rare?

Retropharyngeal abscesses are uncommon but potentially life-threatening diagnosis. They can occur at any age, although are most commonly found in children under the age of five. Without proper treatment, retropharyngeal abscesses can lead to upper airway obstruction and asphyxiation.

How is Parapharyngeal abscess diagnosed?

CT scan is the best imaging examination for diagnosis and follow-up of parapharyngeal abscess. Non-complicated parapharyngeal abscesses require first-line medical management (intravenous antibiotics (amoxicillin and clavulanic acid) combined with steroids) and follow-up CT scan.

Is a peritonsillar abscess the same as an retropharyngeal abscess?

A retropharyngeal abscess develops behind the pharynx – in the tissue that lies just behind the back of the throat. A peritonsillar abscess develops around the tonsils, particularly the palatine tonsils which are at the back of the throat.

How is a parapharyngeal abscess treated?

When a parapharyngeal abscess is detected, treatment should commence immediately. It can usually be treated with broad-spectrum parenteral antibiotics and surgical drainage. Occasionally, small abscesses can be treated with IV antibiotics alone 1.

What are the symptoms of parapharyngeal abscess?

A parapharyngeal abscess is a deep neck abscess. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, odynophagia, and swelling in the neck down to the hyoid bone.

When does a Retropharyngeal abscess occur in a child?

Retropharyngeal abscesses are most frequently encountered in children, with 75% of cases occurring before the age of 5 years, and often in the first year of life 1-3. This is likely due to the combination of prominent retropharyngeal nodal tissue and frequency of middle ear and nasopharyngeal infections.

When to treat a suspected retropharyngeal abscess ( RPA )?

The first priority in treating a patient with a suspected retropharyngeal abscess (RPA) is to determine airway stability. If the patient has symptoms or signs of airway compromise, this particular concern becomes the top priority, and modalities to stabilize the airway should be sought on an urgent basis.

When does an infection in the retropharyngeal space occur?

Often infections of these areas will lead to infection in the retropharyngeal space. Atrophy of these lymph nodes at or before puberty has been found as an explanation of the predominance of RPAs in young children.

Which is better a CT or a Retropharyngeal abscess?

Retropharyngeal abscess 1 Etiology. 2 Plain radiograph. Radiographs, which have the advantage of being able to be obtained with… 3 CT. CT is excellent at evaluating the neck and is able to do so in a short time… 4 MRI. MRI has superior contrast resolution than CT and is able to interrogate… 5 Complications.