title: [Deep neck abscess: analysis of 50 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the predisposing factors of deep neck abscess and review diagnosis and treatment experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  A respective review was conducted in 50 cases who were diagnosed as having deep neck abscess in this hospital from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The causes of deep neck abscess were tooth diseases (3 cases), acute tonsillitis and laryngitis (8 cases), infection of upper respiratory tract (9 cases), foreign bodies in esophagus (14 cases), diabetes mellitus (5 cases), uncertain cause (11 cases). Among 21 cases of pus bacterial cultivation, 13 (64%) cases were positive. By different ways of drainage including neck-mediastinum incision, and use of large dosage of antibiotics, 46 six cases were cured and 4 cases died. Two died of massive hemorrhage of neck blood vessel burst, one massive hemorrhage of upper digestive tract, another infective shock.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Once deep neck abscess is diagnosed, early surgical drainage, appropriate use of antibiotics and control of complications and accompanying diseases are very important to improve the cure rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, West China Hospital, Sichuang University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ding-Hou
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections; D055815:Young Adult