title: Conservative management of deep neck abscesses in adults: the importance of CECT findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review cases of DNAs with special emphasis on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) findings and their implications for treatment planning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective evaluation of adult patient records with diagnosis of DNAs on CECT at Treviso Regional Hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty patients were identified. In 30.0% of cases, an immediate surgical drainage was performed. In 22.5% of cases, a surgical drainage was necessary because of the lack of clinical response to medical therapy alone. Almost half of the patients were treated with antibiotics alone with complete remission. DM was predictive for lack of response to medical therapy alone (P=0.014). Intraoperative findings confirmed the CECT diagnosis in 88.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the mainstay of treatment for deep neck abscesses remains surgical drainage, small abscesses can respond to antibiotics alone. CECT monitoring of DNAs was the essential steps in choosing the more appropriate treatment and, probably, the basis for the good prognosis of patients.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, University of Padua, Treviso Regional Hospital, Treviso, Italy. paolo.boscolorizzo@unipd.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boscolo-Rizzo
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchiori
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaglia
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Da Mosto
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D003287:Contrast Media; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media