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Retropharyngeal abscess

MedGen UID:
57614
•Concept ID:
C0155843
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Abscess, Retropharyngeal; Abscesses, Retropharyngeal; Retropharyngeal Abscess; Retropharyngeal Abscesses
SNOMED CT: Retropharyngeal abscess (18099001)

Definition

An abscess that develops in the soft tissues behind the posterior pharyngeal wall. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVRetropharyngeal abscess

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Management of pediatric head and neck infections in the emergency department.
Abudinen-Vasquez S, Marin MN
Pediatr Emerg Med Pract 2020 Nov;17(11):1-24. Epub 2020 Nov 2 PMID: 33105074
Emergency evaluation and management of the sore throat.
Cirilli AR
Emerg Med Clin North Am 2013 May;31(2):501-15. Epub 2013 Feb 18 doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2013.01.002. PMID: 23601485
Retropharyngeal abscess: diagnosis and treatment update.
Reilly BK, Reilly JS
Infect Disord Drug Targets 2012 Aug;12(4):291-6. doi: 10.2174/187152612801319320. PMID: 22338591

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Acute longus colli tendinitis and otolaryngology.
Siag K, Mazzawi S, Paker M, Biener R, Ghanayim R, Lumelsky D
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2022 May-Jun;88(3):351-357. Epub 2020 Dec 5 doi: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2020.10.018. PMID: 33342696Free PMC Article
Complications of peritonsillar abscess.
Klug TE, Greve T, Hentze M
Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2020 Jul 30;19(1):32. doi: 10.1186/s12941-020-00375-x. PMID: 32731900Free PMC Article
Deep neck infection.
Vieira F, Allen SM, Stocks RM, Thompson JW
Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2008 Jun;41(3):459-83, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2008.01.002. PMID: 18435993
Supraglottic airway infections.
Millan SB, Cumming WA
Prim Care 1996 Dec;23(4):741-58. doi: 10.1016/s0095-4543(05)70360-2. PMID: 8890142
Retropharyngeal abscess.
Coulthard M, Isaacs D
Arch Dis Child 1991 Oct;66(10):1227-30. doi: 10.1136/adc.66.10.1227. PMID: 1953008Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Retropharyngeal Abscess.
Giordano D, Pernice C
N Engl J Med 2022 Jul 21;387(3):260. doi: 10.1056/NEJMicm2119678. PMID: 35857662
Infections of the Neck.
Li RM, Kiemeney M
Emerg Med Clin North Am 2019 Feb;37(1):95-107. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2018.09.003. PMID: 30454783
Infections of the Oropharynx.
Klein MR
Emerg Med Clin North Am 2019 Feb;37(1):69-80. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2018.09.002. PMID: 30454781
Infections and edema.
Linkov G, Soliman AM
Anesthesiol Clin 2015 Jun;33(2):329-46. doi: 10.1016/j.anclin.2015.02.005. PMID: 25999006
Deep neck infection.
Vieira F, Allen SM, Stocks RM, Thompson JW
Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2008 Jun;41(3):459-83, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2008.01.002. PMID: 18435993

Therapy

Complications of peritonsillar abscess.
Klug TE, Greve T, Hentze M
Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2020 Jul 30;19(1):32. doi: 10.1186/s12941-020-00375-x. PMID: 32731900Free PMC Article
Infections of the Oropharynx.
Klein MR
Emerg Med Clin North Am 2019 Feb;37(1):69-80. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2018.09.002. PMID: 30454781
Croup: an overview.
Zoorob R, Sidani M, Murray J
Am Fam Physician 2011 May 1;83(9):1067-73. PMID: 21534520
Croup.
Skolnik N
J Fam Pract 1993 Aug;37(2):165-70. PMID: 8336098
Retropharyngeal abscess.
Hamer R
Ann Emerg Med 1982 Oct;11(10):549-52. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(82)80429-0. PMID: 7125316

Prognosis

Neonatal retropharyngeal abscess with complications: Apnea and cervical osteomyelitis.
Ali NE, Alyono JC, Koltai PJ
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2019 Nov;126:109613. Epub 2019 Jul 31 doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2019.109613. PMID: 31382216
Retropharyngeal abscess: diagnosis and treatment update.
Reilly BK, Reilly JS
Infect Disord Drug Targets 2012 Aug;12(4):291-6. doi: 10.2174/187152612801319320. PMID: 22338591
Retropharyngeal abscesses: a clinical and radiologic correlation.
Boucher C, Dorion D, Fisch C
J Otolaryngol 1999 Jun;28(3):134-7. PMID: 10410343
Descending cervical mediastinitis.
Kiernan PD, Hernandez A, Byrne WD, Bloom R, Dicicco B, Hetrick V, Graling P, Vaughan B
Ann Thorac Surg 1998 May;65(5):1483-8. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(98)00142-8. PMID: 9594903
Stridor in childhood.
McBride JT
J Fam Pract 1984 Dec;19(6):782-90. PMID: 6502082

Clinical prediction guides

Pediatric deep neck infections: Clinical description and analysis of therapeutic management.
Demongeot N, Akkari M, Blanchet C, Godreuil S, Prodhomme O, Leboucq N, Mondain M, Jeziorski E
Arch Pediatr 2022 Feb;29(2):128-132. Epub 2021 Dec 23 doi: 10.1016/j.arcped.2021.11.011. PMID: 34955300
National trends in retropharyngeal abscess among adult inpatients with peritonsillar abscess.
Qureshi HA, Ference EH, Tan BK, Chandra RK, Kern RC, Smith SS
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2015 Apr;152(4):661-6. Epub 2015 Jan 20 doi: 10.1177/0194599814568286. PMID: 25605696
Approach to a child with sore throat.
Shah R, Bansal A, Singhi SC
Indian J Pediatr 2011 Oct;78(10):1268-72. Epub 2011 Jun 10 doi: 10.1007/s12098-011-0467-0. PMID: 21660400Free PMC Article
Retropharyngeal abscesses: a clinical and radiologic correlation.
Boucher C, Dorion D, Fisch C
J Otolaryngol 1999 Jun;28(3):134-7. PMID: 10410343
Stridor in childhood.
McBride JT
J Fam Pract 1984 Dec;19(6):782-90. PMID: 6502082

Recent systematic reviews

Antibiotic therapy for pediatric deep neck abscesses: a systematic review.
Carbone PN, Capra GG, Brigger MT
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2012 Nov;76(11):1647-53. Epub 2012 Aug 23 doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2012.07.038. PMID: 22921604

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