Acute suppurative parotitis: a dreadful complication in elderly surgical patients.
BACKGROUND
Acute suppurative parotitis (ASP) is a severe infection seen particularly in elderly surgical patients. Factors that increase the risk of ASP include post-operative dehydration, debilitating conditions, and immunosuppressed states.


METHODS
Case report and literature review.


RESULTS
An 82-year-old female patient was admitted because of paralytic ileus, dehydration, and poor oral hygiene, and was in distress. After two days of hospitalization, the patient developed a progressive painful swelling of her right parotid gland and fever up to 39.0°C. Computed tomography scanning showed an abscess in the parotid gland. Because of her progressive clinical deterioration, the patient underwent operative drainage of the abscess and removal of the necrotic material. Unfortunately, she suffered multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and died.


CONCLUSIONS
Acute suppurative parotitis requires prompt aggressive treatment that nevertheless may fail.
First Department of Surgery, Tzaneion General Hospital, Piraeus, Greece.
Pavlos
P
Lampropoulos
Spyros
S
Rizos
Athanasios
A
Marinis
D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004322:Drainage; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure; D010309:Parotitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D013492:Suppuration / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed