title: [Descending cervical mediastinitis: report of 15 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the cause, diagnosis and treatment of descending cervical mediastinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen cases of descending cervical mediastinitis, which were treated from January 1985 to December 1997, were retrospectively reviewed. There were 10 males and 5 females, ranging in age from 2.5 to 82 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cause of descending cervical mediastinitis included odontogenic infection, suppurative tonsillitis, suppurative otitis media (cholesteatoma) complicating Mouret abscess, pharyngeal injury by foreign body and esophageal perforation. Different ways of drainage were adopted. Twelve cases were cured and three died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The key to successful management of descending cervical mediastinitis is early recognition, prompt and effective surgical drainage and appropriate antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang 325000, China. fxb.wy@990.net
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010508:Periodontal Abscess / Q000150:complications; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000150:complications; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies