Management of paediatric retropharyngeal infections: non-surgical versus surgical.
BACKGROUND
Paediatric retropharyngeal infections are a serious infection associated with morbidity. The relative role of medical versus surgical treatment for these infections is debated. The aims of this study were to analyse the management of retropharyngeal infections with respect to radiological assessment and treatment.


METHODS
Medical records from January 1999 to June 2005 were reviewed and analysed.


RESULTS
Twenty-four children with retropharyngeal infections were included in the study. Computed tomography had a 75% accuracy of correctly identifying an abscess and 36% of the retropharyngeal abscesses resolved with medical treatment alone, with no difference in duration of hospital stay or morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical treatment of retropharyngeal abscesses has been successful in selected cases. We can recommend this as a viable alternative to surgery and would suggest a 48-h inpatient i.v. antibiotic trial in selected children before considering surgery.
Courtney
Mark J
MJ
Gold Coast Hospital, ENT Department, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, and Auckland University, Medical School, Auckland, New Zealand.
Mahadevan
Murali
M
Miteff
Alex
A
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome