Villanueva-Fernández E, Casanueva-Muruáis R, Vivanco-Allende A, Llorente JL, Coca-Pelaz A. Role of steroids in conservative treatment of parapharyngeal and retropharyngeal abscess in children.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2022;
279:5331-5338. [PMID:
35767057 PMCID:
PMC9519669 DOI:
10.1007/s00405-022-07423-6]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
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.
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