Pseudomonas cervical osteomyelitis with retropharyngeal abscess: an unusual complication of otitis media

We present the unusual case of a 54-year-old diabetic man with chronic suppurative otitis media, presenting with cervical osteomyelitis and retropharyngeal abscess. This was treated with decompression, debridement and fusion from C2 to C4 with external halo-frame stabilization. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was cultured from the ear and the osteomyelitis specimen. Exploration of the left ear showed evidence of mucosal disease, with granulations in the middle ear and oedematous mucosa in the mastoid antrum, but no evidence of dural-plate dehiscence. Haematogenous spread probably led to cervical osteomyelitis and retropharyngeal abscess formation. Cervical osteomyelitis may develop as a rare complication and present as a cause of severe neck pain in patients with otitis media.     

A neck mass with brachial plexus injury: Pott's disease

Tuberculous osteomyelitis of the spine is most commonly seen in lower thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Cervical spine tuberculosis is a very rare condition, and it represents a very small part of all patients with Pott's disease. We present a case with thoraco-cervical Pott's disease, with left-sided neck mass and left arm and hand weakness and numbness. The patient had a paraspinal abscess under the sternocleidomastoid muscle that was compressing the brachial plexus.     

A case of spinal epidural abscess associated with retropharyngeal abscess

Spinal epidural abscesses are known to occur associated with retropharyngeal abscess, but such cases are few in the literature. We treated a 72-year-old woman who reported pain in the back of the neck. Computed tomography (CT) showed a retropharyngeal abscess extending to the upper neck through the carotid space on the left side and an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a spinal epidural abscess without cervical vertebral osteomyelitis. The abscess was assumed to reach the epidural space along the nerve root through the intervertebral foramen. Since tonsillitis appeared to cause the retropharyngeal abscess, we performed tonsillectomy, and then drained pus through the superior constrictor muscle, effecting a subsequent cure. Staphylococcus aureus was recovered from both the pus and tonsil, and Streptococcus constellatus, a member of the Streptococcus milleri group, from the tonsil. Based on a review of the literature, clinical courses of spinal epidural abscess associated with retropharyngeal abscess are not always simple, as 4 of the 7 cases found demonstrated poor prognosis. Spinal epidural abscess should be considered a critical complication of retropharyngeal abscess.     

Echinococcosis presenting as an otogenic brain abscess: an unusual lesion of the middle ear cleft and temporal lobe

This paper presents a case of a 28-year-old male with a seizure episode and a 4-year history of intermittent tinnitus on the left ear. On computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, a density with rim enhancement was found at the temporal lobe, associated with mastoid tegmen destruction and middle ear mass, indicating cholesteatoma with complicating brain abscess. Evacuation of the brain abscess was performed with a combined otolaryngologic and neurosurgical procedures (canal wall-down mastoidectomy and temporal craniotomy). The pathology turned out to be infestation with Echinococcus granulosus.     

借鉴分区性颈清扫操作技术切除颈部非肿瘤病变13例

目的探讨分区性颈清扫技术在颈部非肿瘤病例中的应用。方法借鉴分区性颈清扫技术对颈部非肿瘤病变进行切除，其中有脓肿型或溃疡型颈淋巴结核5例、复发鳃裂瘘管7例、颈部肿物经切取活检后形成囊肿1例。所有病例均采取整块切除病变组织。结果颈清扫技术有利于彻底清除与周围组织粘连紧密、分界欠清、范围较广、并且常规治疗效果欠佳的病变。本组病例未出现副神经和喉返神经损伤、切口愈合不良等并发症。术后随访5个月至2年均未见复发。结论参照分区性颈清术的手术技术处理复发型第2、3鳃裂瘘管和有脓肿（≥3cm）或瘘管形成的颈淋巴结核，可取得较好的临床疗效。     

Tuberkulöse Spondylitis mit retropharyngealer Abszedierung

In the industrialized countries, the last 15 years have seen an increasing rate of cases of tuberculosis. However, upper cervical spine tuberculosis involving a cold retropharyngeal abscess is extremely rare. We report on a 58 year old female from Sri Lanka presenting with unspecific neck pain and stiffness. She was diagnosed as having extensive tubercular osteodestruction of the second cervical spine body, including epidural and large retropharyngeal abscesses.     

Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess as a cause of oropharyngeal dysphagia

Tuberculosis is known to affect almost every organ in the body, but its manifestations in the head and neck region are quite rare. A tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess is a very rare condition and can be the cause of oropharyngeal dysphagia. It is usually secondary to tuberculosis of the spine and has the potential of significant morbidity and mortality if not treated appropriately. We present a case of a 74-year-old man with a retropharyngeal abscess with no evidence of spinal tuberculosis.     

Interhemispheric subdural abscess: A rare complication of atticoantral ear disease

A 14-year-old girl who had been experiencing ear discharge for the previous 3 years was referred to a tertiary care center for management of a 3-day history of severe headache and vomiting. Otolaryngologic examination revealed the presence of an atticoantral type of ear disease on the left side. Computed tomography detected an interhemispheric subdural abscess that had originated on the left side. The patient was initially treated with antibiotics, and she later underwent a mastoidectomy to clear the ear disease. She recovered without complications. Subdural empyema is the rarest complication of otitis media, and it is very rarely seen in an interhemispheric setting.     

Tuberculosis of the maxillary sinus manifesting as a facial abscess

Tuberculosis of the maxillary sinus is rare. Likewise, an acute onset that necessitates incision and drainage is also very uncommon. We report the case of a 15-year-old girl who came to us with an abscess on the left side of her face. She was found to have tuberculosis of the left maxillary antrum.     

A case of Bezold's abscess associated with cholesteatoma]

Since the advent of antibiotics, otogenic complications have decreased considerably. However, incomplete antibiotic therapy has altered the clinical course of middle ear disease so as to be more insidious. This paper reports a case of Bezold's abscess associated with cholesteatoma. A 48-year-old man visited our hospital presenting with a 4-day history of right otorrhea and a tender swelling in the right neck. Physical examination showed a febrile patient (38.8 degrees C) with right facial paresis and trismus. A hyperemic, hard and tender swelling was observed in his right neck from the lateral cervical to the mental region. The tympanic membrane was invisible because of granulation and swelling of the posterior wall of the external auditory canal. Intravenous clindamycin and ceftazidime therapy was started immediately. A CT-scan revealed a diffuse shadow with bony destruction in the right mastoid cortex. Extensive abscess formation was also found in the right sternocleidomastoid muscle, in the anterior neck and in the posterior neck. He was diagnosed as having Bezold's abscess associated with cholesteatoma. Radical mastoidectomy and drainage of the neck abscess was performed on the third day under general anesthesia. The mastoid cavity was found to be filled with pus and cholesteatoma debris. A small area of defective bone was found at the mastoid tip, through which there were communications between the mastoid cavity and the abscesses in the neck. Bony destruction was also found in the horizontal and vertical portion of the facial canal. Bacteroides and three kinds of gram-negative rods were cultured from the mastoid cavity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Report of 2 cases of tuberculous retoropharygeal abscess in adults

We report 2 cases of tuberculous retoropharyngeal abscess. Case 1 was a 21-year-old man with tuberculous cervical spondylitis and pulmonary tuberculosis and Case 2 was a 32-year-old woman with tuberculous lymph adenitis and military tuberculosis. Both reported sore throat and dysphagea. In case 1, throat examination showed a bulging abscess at the posterior wall of the pharynx. X-ray examination of the neck showed a massive soft tissue swelling on the lateral view. As soon as the diagnosis was established, prompt focal aspiration was done since the increasing danger of grave respiratory distress was expected. And moreover, surgical incision and drainage of retropharyngeal abscess were indicated. In case 2, intraoral midline incision through the posterior wall of the pharynx was administered because the abscess was small and limited. Though various tuberculous statics and antibiotics are available, tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess still occurs and should be considered to ensure rapid adequate attention to diagnosis and treatment.     

Fourth branchial pouch anomaly

We present an extremely rare case of fourth branchial fistula in a 23-year-old male. The characteristic clinical feature was a recurrent left lower neck abscess which did not respond to appropriate medical and surgical therapy. Radiography and a computed tomographic scan with contrast material revealed a fistula running from the apex of the left pyriform sinus (internal opening) to the left lower neck abscess. The fistula tract was excised surgically. Histological examination of the excised fistula revealed a squamous epithelial lining and subepithelial lymphoid tissue. This pyriform sinus fistula is thought to be of fourth pharyngeal pouch origin, because of its surgical aspects and the histological findings of the excised fistula.     

Feather foreign body caused periparotid and peritonsillar abscess in a 9-month-old girl

Migratory foreign body appeared to be bird feather, caused peritonsillar and periparotid abscess in a nine-month-old infant. Patient presented painful, tender and fluctuating red neck mass on the left neck region II, and refusal of oral intake, with no fever. Azithromycin was introduced four days before presentation for suspected urinary tract infection. ENT examination revealed left peritonsillar abscess; ultrasound confirmed periparotid abscess, MSCT verified both diagnoses. Under general anaesthesia, we performed abscess incision, after pus drainage, small foreign body spontaneously came through the wound. After washing it with saline, it appeared like a bird feather. Subsequently, peritonsillar abscess was incised and drained. After 24-hour postoperative care on pediatric intensive care unit, the patient continued three-day parenteral antibiotic treatment on the otolaryngology department; it was discharged with a recommendation to continue seven days of oral antibiotic therapy. Suggested mechanism was ingestion of bird feather from stuffed bedding, that got trapped in the tonsillar crypt. Afterwards, it started to migrate through the neck tissue. Households with children younger than three years should not have feather stuffed clothes or beddings.     

Tuberculous Otitis media - a rare differential diagnosis in Germany

A 28-year-old female patient with a migrant background presented for surgery with a suspected cholesteatoma in the left ear. The patient reported having had an aural discharge for several months; otoscopic examination revealed a runny ear, and discrete granulation tissue was seen. Pure-tone audiometry showed conduction hearing loss of 30-40 dB across all frequencies in the left ear; high-resolution computed tomography of the temporal bone revealed that the mastoid and tympanic cavity were completely obscured. The intraoperative finding showed a caseous space-occupying mass that completely filled the tympanic cavity. The suspected diagnosis of tuberculosis was corroborated by pathohistological, microbiological and molecular biological tests. Tuberculostatic therapy was initiated at a different location. Although tuberculosis of the middle ear is a rare condition in Germany, it should nevertheless be considered when making a differential diagnosis, especially in high-risk patients where cholesteatoma is suspected on clinical and radiological evidence or in patients with a chronic middle ear process.     

Brain abscess secondary to the middle ear cholesteatoma: a report of two cases

We experienced two cases of brain abscess secondary to middle ear cholesteatoma. One, a 61-year-old woman, presented with left otalgia, appetite loss and nausea. The computed tomography obtained on admission revealed a middle ear cholesteatoma. The magnetic resonance image showed the presence of a brain abscess in the cerebellum. The brain abscess was drained and the cholesteatoma was removed using the canal down procedure under general anesthesia. Part of the cholesteatoma invaded the posterior cranial fossa was could not be removed from the otological surgical field. The patient has been under observation as an outpatient for 6 months already and no abnormal signs have been detected.

The other patient, a 55-year-old man, was admitted to our hospital for a detailed examination because he had right otalgia and progressive headache. The examination of spinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture showed marked elevation of the white blood cells count. Computed tomography revealed a middle ear cholesteatoma. The magnetic resonance image obtained on admission showed an area of low-intensity encapsulated by an area of high-intensity in the right temporal lobe. The abscess was drained and the cholesteatoma was removed using the canal down procedure under general anesthesia. The patient has been under observation for 1 year already and has presented no signs of recurrence.     

Tuberculosis in ear, nose, and throat practice: its presentation and diagnosis

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to increase awareness of the different presentations of head and neck tuberculosis (TB) and to discuss its diagnostic difficulties. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A retrospective analysis of patients who presented to us, at a secondary referral hospital, primarily with TB of head and neck was done from January 1999 to July 2003. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients presented with primary head and neck TB during the study period. Most of these (95%) had cervical lymphadenopathy, 2 patients had laryngeal TB, and there was 1 patient each of TB of cervical spine, oropharynx, ear, and retropharyngeal abscess. Forty-one were males, and 76 were females. Thirty percent of cases had associated lung or other organ TB. Nine percent gave history of previous or subsequent TB. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Diagnosing TB requires a high index of suspicion. 2) Tuberculosis of the cervical lymph nodes is the commonest presentation followed by laryngeal TB. 3) Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a reliable and easy way to diagnose TB. However, newer diagnostic tests will increase the yield of positive cases and should be used whenever required. 4) In the larynx, the vocal cords were the commonest site affected and laryngeal TB need not be associated with lung TB or positive sputum always. 5) Patients who have TB of head and neck must be investigated to exclude pulmonary or systemic TB. 6) In cases of previous or subsequent TB infection, culture and drug sensitivity is indicated to reduce the problem of multiple drug resistance.     

Fourth branchial pouch sinus with recurrent deep cervical abscesses successfully treated with trichloroacetic acid cauterization

A previously healthy 13-year-old girl presented with a left-sided deep cervical abscess. A CT scan demonstrated an abscess in the lower neck, anterior to the common carotid artery. Treatment with i.v. antibiotics and incision drainage resolved the condition. A recurrence of the abscess 7 months later was treated identically. Further investigations with MRI showed a 2-3-mm wide, 10-mm long structure in the lateral aspect of the left thyroid lobe. A barium radiograph depicted a narrow, 20-mm long fistula originating from the left pharynx. At endoscopy a 2-3-mm wide opening was found at the left pyriform sinus apex. This, together with the radiological findings, verified the diagnosis of a 4th branchial pouch sinus. The recurrence of the abscess may have been due to contamination by infectious pharyngeal secretions. Although radical surgical excision is traditionally recommended for this condition a non-invasive treatment, namely chemocauterization with 40% trichloroacetic acid (TCA), was chosen in this case. Three cauterizations were needed to close the pyriform sinus opening. To date (Month 14) there has been no recurrence of the cervical abscesses. TCA chemocauterization seems to be a safe first-line treatment for patients with a pyriform sinus fistula.     

汶川大地震后送伤员耳鼻咽喉头颈部伤情分析与处理

目的 调查分析汶川大地震后送伤员涉及耳鼻咽喉头颈部伤情的特点以及救治原则.方法 对汶川大地震中的206例进行耳鼻咽喉专科拉网式筛查及检诊,调查耳鼻咽喉头颈部伤情、致伤原因,并及时予以救治.结果 206例伤员中,收入院伤员165例,伤员中合并耳鼻咽喉头颈部伤37例(22.4%),主要包括:耳廓及外耳道外伤10例(27%),鼓室积血2例(5.4%);鼓膜破裂出血1例(2.7%);外耳道异物4例(10.8%);鼻出血4例(10.8%);鼻骨骨折及蝶骨、筛骨骨折6例(16.2%);蝶骨、筛骨骨折合并脑脊液鼻漏1例(2.7%);颧部外伤感染伴脓肿形成1例(2.7%);下颌骨及颧骨骨折4例(10.8%);口唇黏膜撕裂伤2例(5.4%);声音嘶哑2例(5.4%).致伤原因以摔伤及踩踏伤居多.所有患者处理全身其他合并伤同时,对专科情况给予适当处理,均取得良好效果.结论 地震伤救治后送伤员大部分为多发伤,耳鼻咽喉头颈部损伤多为全身其他部位的并发伤,容易被忽略,专科医生应及早对伤员进行全面检查诊断并及时治疗.     

Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess with posterior mediastinal extension and quadriplegia in a 13-year-old Nigerian girl

Neglected cervical tuberculosis (TB) in a 13-year-old girl with extensive prevertebral abscess extending from C1-T4 is presented along with the plain radiographic and computed tomographic findings. The tuberculous infection progresses to cause multiple vertebral destructions and quadriplegia due to delayed diagnosis. The diagnosis was made on radiological imaging and confirmed by positive mycobacterium bacilli culture. This case illustrated that delayed diagnosis and treatment of cervical spinal TB can be catastrophic. Hence, we suggest consideration of TB of the spine in the differential diagnosis of any patient presenting with neck/back pain since it can be successfully treated, especially if detected early. We advocated the use of easy operating and low-cost examinations such as tuberculin skin test, abscess puncture (not cut) and pus cultivation especially in developing countries for early diagnosis TB infection.