Characteristics of deep neck infection in children according to weight percentile

Pictorial Review of MRI Findings in Acute Neck Infections in Children

Pediatric neck infections and their complications, such as abscesses extending to deep neck compartments, are potentially life-threatening acute conditions. Medical imaging aims to verify abscesses and their extensions and exclude other complications. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven to be a useful and highly accurate imaging method in acute neck infections in children. Children and adults differ in terms of the types of acute infections and the anatomy and function of the neck. This pictorial review summarizes typical findings in pediatric patients with neck infections and discusses some difficulties related to image interpretation.

An analysis of perioperative outcomes following cervical abscess drainage in children under 2 years

OBJECTIVE

To identify risk factors and determine perioperative morbidity of children under 2 years of age undergoing cervical abscess drainage.

METHODS

Patients who underwent cervical abscess drainage 1-18 years of age were queried via the ACS-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric (NSQIP-P) database (2012-2015). Analyzed outcomes include length of stay, operative time, readmission/reoperation rate, and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

A total of 2181 children were identified, 858 were <2 (51.5% male) and 1323 were >2 years (57.1% male) (p = 0.011). The younger cohort was found to undergo more lateral approaches for cervical abscess drainage whereas the older cohort was found to undergo more intraoral approaches for pharyngeal abscess drainage (p < 0.001), suggesting a difference in abscess location related to age at clinical presentation. The younger cohort was also found to have a higher preoperative white blood cell count (20.7 vs. 17.5, p < 0.001) but no significant difference in preoperative fulminant sepsis was observed. Younger children were found to have both a longer wait-time until surgery (1.4 vs. 1.1 days, p = 0.003) and a prolonged length of stay (LOS) (4.3 vs. 3.4 days, p < 0.001). Operative time was found to be lower in the younger cohort (18.4 vs. 21.5 min, p = 0.003), Finally, the younger cohort was found to have an increased incidence and duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation (63 vs. 41, and 0.4 vs. 0.1 days, respectively, p < 0.001.). There were no differences in post-op complications (wound infection, dehiscence, pneumonia, reintubation, and reoperation/readmission). Linear regression for LOS showed that major contributors were operative time, days of postop ventilation, and days from admission to surgery with R = 0.700.

CONCLUSION

Children under 2 years of age have longer LOS that may in part be due to a greater likelihood of postoperative ventilation and a delay in operative intervention, despite having surgical approaches associated with a shorter LOS. They are no more prone to complications than are older children. Recognition of these critical factors plays a role in optimizing perioperative risk assessment and procedural planning within this patient population.

Risk factors for transcervical incision and drainage of pediatric deep neck infections

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for transcervical approaches in the treatment of pediatric deep neck infections (DNIs).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of data from patients who were diagnosed with DNIs. All medical records were reviewed for demographic characteristics, presenting signs and symptoms, duration of symptoms, size of abscess, laboratory results, duration of intravenous (IV) antibiotic administration, duration of hospitalization, medical treatment, and type of surgical drainage (oral or transcervical approach). We divided 126 patients into three groups according to the approach used to treat the DNI: non-surgical, intraoral surgical and external transcervical surgical.

RESULTS

The average ages of the non-surgical, intraoral, and transcervical groups were 10.46±5.27, 12.75±4.82 and 5.54±5.15years, respectively. The transcervical approach was used to treat younger patients (p<0.001). Abscess size was significantly larger for the transcervical group compared to the other groups (5.72±8.93, 13.51±14.74, 18.36±16.05mm, non-surgical, intraoral, and transcervical group, respectively, p=0.009). The average duration of IV antibiotic administration for the transcervical group was 9.77±3.27days, which was significantly higher than those for the other groups (5.49±3.28 for non-surgical and 6.13±2.85 for intraoral, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that submandibular abscesses (Exp (B)=5.254, p=0.012) were the only significant risk factor for the transcervical approach in surgical treatment of DNIs.

CONCLUSION

Submandibular space abscesses were the only significant risk factor for the transcervical approach in the treatment of pediatric DNI patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Univariate and multivariate models for the prediction of life-threatening complications in 586 cases of deep neck space infections: retrospective multi-institutional study

OBJECTIVE

To identify deep neck infection factors related to life-threatening complications.

METHODS

This retrospective multi-institutional study comprised 586 patients treated for deep neck infections between 2002 and 2012. The statistical significance of variables associated with life-threatening complications of deep neck infections was assessed.

RESULTS

During treatment, life-threatening complications occurred in 60 out of 586 cases. On univariate analysis, life-threatening complications were linked to: dyspnoea, neck movement disturbance and dysphonia (all p < 0.001); and parapharyngeal, anterior visceral or pretracheal deep neck involvement (all p < 0.002). Aetiology was significantly linked to tonsils (p < 0.001). Regarding infection type, fasciitis was a significant factor (p < 0.001). Candida albicans was a significant bacterial culture (p < 0.001). A multivariate step-wise model disclosed fewer significant variables: retropharyngeal space (p = 0.005) and major blood vessels area (p = 0.006) involvement, and bacterial culture C albicans (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

It can be predicted that patients with deep neck infections, with neck movement disturbances, dysphonia, dyspnoea and swelling of the external neck, accompanied by severe pain, and inflammatory changes in the retropharyngeal space and large vessel areas, with culture-confirmed infection of C albicans, are likely to develop life-threatening complications.