title: Retropharyngeal abscess complicated by carotid artery rupture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE: To report the case of a child with a retropharyngeal abscess complicated by carotid artery rupture. DESIGN: Descriptive case report. SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit of a children's hospital. Patient: A 2-month old girl. INTERVENTION: Surgical ligation of the right common carotid artery was performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Carotid artery involvement is a rare but life-threatening complication of a retropharyngeal abscess. The child developed carotid arteritis, with pseudoaneurysm formation and acute rupture of the right carotid artery. Surgical ligation was performed, with no accompanying neurologic sequelae. A high index of suspicion is needed for the possibility of carotid space involvement if there is a delay in the resolution of symptoms, despite adequate treatment. CONCLUSION: If a retropharyngeal abscess extends into the carotid space or there is a slow resolution of symptoms, carotid artery involvement must be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (ZW, MH, HF, AA) and the Department of Paediatric Surgery (AM, AVDM), Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Zainab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Waggie
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatherill
authors.forename: Alastair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Holly
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: France
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Der Merwe
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argent