title: Retropharyngeal cold abscess without Pott's spine.
abstract: Retropharyngeal abscesses are infections deep in the neck space that can pose an immediate life-threatening emergency, with potential for airway compromise and other catastrophic complications. In adults these abscesses can develop as a result of vertebral pyogenic osteomyelitis, tuberculosis of the spine, or external injuries caused by endoscopes or foreign bodies (e.g. fish bones). Tuberculosis of the retropharyngeal space is one of the rare forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to prevent the serious complications of the disease.    We present a case of tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess in an adult woman without tuberculosis of the cervical spine who was managed surgically by aspirating the retropharyngeal abscess transorally, together with antituberculosis treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Padmashree Dr D Y Patil Medical College, Sector 5, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, India. jotthi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jyoti
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Haritosh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Velankar
authors.forename: Devayani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shinde
authors.forename: Nilesh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chordia
authors.forename: Sneha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Budhwani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011859:Radiography; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents