title: Deep neck infections in children: experience in a tertiary care center in Turkey.
abstract: The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical presentations, diagnostic clues and management of deep neck infections (DNI) in pediatric patients. Demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, predisposing factors, duration of symptoms before presentation, history of previous antibiotic use, duration of hospitalization, laboratory and radiographic evaluations, management, complications, and outcomes of 25 patients (19 male/6 female; mean age: 47.9±39.0 months) diagnosed with DNI were analyzed retrospectively. Retropharyngeal abscesses occurred especially in preschool children, whereas peritonsillar abscesses occurred especially in school children. Nine of 25 (36%) patients underwent surgical intervention in addition to medical therapy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography provided additional information in half of the patients. DNIs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children who present with fever and neck mass even in the absence of more specific findings. Medical treatment can be considered an option to surgical treatment by utilizing the advantages of imaging techniques and empirical antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. drozgemetin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Özge
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Metin
authors.forename: Fatma Nur
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Öz
authors.forename: Gönül
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tanır
authors.forename: Gülsüm İclal
authors.initials: Gİ
authors.lastname: Bayhan
authors.forename: Türkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aydın-Teke
authors.forename: Zeynep Gökçe
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Gayretli-Aydın
authors.forename: Nilden
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tuygun
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents