title: Parapharyngeal abscess in children: five year retrospective study.
abstract: Lateropharyngeal and retropharyngeal abscesses are potentially life threatening infections in children
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the etiologic, clinical, and imaging signs of lateropharyngeal and retropharyngeal abscesses in children as well as treatment-outcomes and complications using a surgical trans-oral approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of 11 children, hospitalized in the last 5 years, with a diagnosis of lateropharyngeal (n = 8) and retropharyngeal (n = 3) abscesses, ages ranging from 0 to 12 years old. Charts and CT scans were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of presentation was 3.3 years. Neck stiffness (64%) and odynophagia (55%) were the most common symptoms. Fever (64%), stiff neck (64%), bulging of the oropharyngeal wall (55%), mass in the neck (55%) and lymphadenopathy (36%) were the most prevalent physical findings. All these patients were submitted to surgical drainage using a trans-oral approach in the first 48 hours after admission. About 82% of the patients showed improvement after 48 hours, and 100% after 72 hours, without any complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the good clinical outcomes and low incidence of complications, the present study suggests that antibiotic therapy complemented with a timely surgical treatment, is a valid treatment option in refractory parapharyngeal abscesses.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de S. João E.P.E, Porto University Medical School, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro Miguel dos Santos
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Jorge Eduardo Freitas
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Spratley
authors.forename: Laurentino Manuel Mendes
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents