title: Retropharyngeal and mediastinal abscess following adenoidectomy.
abstract: Adenoidectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in children. On rare occasions it can be complicated by a retropharyngeal abscess (RA). We report the case of a 9-year-old girl with an RA extending to the mediastinum following adenoidectomy. The mediastinal collection was successfully treated with computed tomography-guided percutaneous drainage to avoid extensive surgical procedure. Surgeons should be aware of these dramatic complications and should avoid overzealous surgery in the removal of the adenoid tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Mont-Godinne, Yvoir, Belgium. david.tuerlinckx@pedi.ucl.ac.be
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tuerlinckx
authors.forename: Eddy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bodart
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: De Wispelaere
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Bilderling
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000233:Adenoidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy