title: Is ultrasonography-guided drainage a safe and effective alternative to incision and drainage for deep neck space abscesses?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deep neck space abscesses are common head and neck surgery emergencies. Traditionally, surgical incision and drainage has been the main treatment for deep neck abscesses. Recently, it has been suggested that ultrasound-guided drainage of neck abscesses can be an effective and less invasive alternative to incision and drainage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with deep neck space abscesses referred to the emergency department of Amiralam Hospital were assessed and enrolled to the study if they met the inclusion criteria. Patients were randomly assigned to incision and drainage or ultrasound-guided drainage groups using sealed envelopes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty patients were evaluated, with 30 patients in each group. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in mean length of hospital stay between patients who underwent ultrasound-guided drainage (5.47 days) and those who underwent incision and drainage (9.70 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasound-guided drainage is an effective and safe procedure, leading to shorter hospital stay, and thus may be a suitable alternative to incision and drainage of deep neck abscesses.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Research Center,Amiralam Hospital,Tehran University of Medical Sciences,Iran.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dabirmoghaddam
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Research Center,Amiralam Hospital,Tehran University of Medical Sciences,Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohseni
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Research Center,Amiralam Hospital,Tehran University of Medical Sciences,Iran.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Navvabi
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Research Center,Amiralam Hospital,Tehran University of Medical Sciences,Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Research Center,Amiralam Hospital,Tehran University of Medical Sciences,Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastaninezhad
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Research Center,Amiralam Hospital,Tehran University of Medical Sciences,Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safaei
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery*; D000072836:Surgical Wound; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Abscess; Body Fluids; Drainage; Neck