Odontogenic infections and descending necrotising mediastinitis: case report and review of the literature.
Descending necrotising mediastinitis is a rare complication secondary to oral surgery or odontogenic infections which ultimately spreads to the mediastinum through the anatomical cervical spaces. Delay in diagnosis, despite broad-spectrum antimicrobical therapy and extensive surgical intervention, results in an unacceptably high mortality rate (almost to 40%). A case study is presented as a rationale for a review of the current literature and to analyse the evolution in therapies, both medical and surgical from Pearse in 1938 to today.
Biasotto
Matteo
M
Pellis
Tommaso
T
Cadenaro
Milena
M
Bevilacqua
Lorenzo
L
Berlot
Giorgio
G
Di Lenarda
Roberto
R
D000368:Aged; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000209:etiology*; D009336:Necrosis; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology