The differential diagnoses of an abscess deep in the neck are retropharyngeal abscess and parapharyngeal abscess. We report a case each of these deep neck space abscesses to highlight their difference with emphasis on its anatomy and possible etiologies.
A case of massive pyopneumothorax as a rare sequelae of retropharyngeal abscess following fish bone ingestion is reported. An initial attempt at removal of the fish bone in the oesophagus using the fibroptic oesophagoscope was unsuccessful, causing failure of its removal and the development of this rare and potentially fatal complication. The intercommunication of the retropharyngeal space with other spaces of the neck and thorax that allow this and most other complications to occur is described. Rigid endoscopes are the instrument of choice in retrieving sharp foreign bodies in the oesophagus.
This paper deals with our experience of two cases of retropharyngeal abscess due to foreign body. A briefaccount ofthe anatomy. pathology, complications and treatment ofthis condition is given
A 37 year old female who presented with a history of foreign body ingestion ten months previously was found on examination to have a retropharyngeal swelling. An initial differential of foreign body granuloma or retropharyngeal tuberculous abscess was considered. The usefulness of the lateral neck radiograph in demonstrating retropharyngeal pathology and the supplementary role of the computed tomography scan in confirming and elucidating the identity of the radio-opacity is highlighted. This presentation is a timely reminder of the need for a simple inexpensive lateral neck radiograph in situations of doubt as to persisting foreign body impaction.
A case of pharyngeal tuberculosis is reported in a 54-year-old Chinese man. This is an uncommon condition and is often associated with pulmonary tuberculosis as in our patient.
An acquired persistent tracheopharyngeal fistula secondary to an infected tracheopharyngeal voice prosthesis is a common cause of recurrent aspiration pneumonia in a postlaryngectomy patient. We report a case of a successfully treated tracheopharyngeal fistula whereby both the sternocleidomastoid muscles were used as muscular flaps to close the defect and its outcome.
We report an extremely rare case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma presenting as a lateral neck abscess complicated by endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis. Endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis complicating a neck abscess has not been reported in the recent English literature. We discuss the possible pathophysiology of neck abscess as a presenting feature of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and the relationship between the parapharyngeal abscess and endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis.
Acute Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is characterized by an acute onset of limb weakness and areflexia. There are a few rare variants that have been described and one of them is the pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant (oropharynx, neck, and proximal upper limb muscles). However, in this patient, the only presentation was bulbar involvement with fast recovery within days. This is likely to be the milder form of PCB that has rarely been described before. A 19-year-old Malay lady presented with progressive dysphagia associated with nasal voice for one week duration. There was no limb weakness. Examination showed generalized areflexia. Pharyngeal and palatal muscles were markedly weak. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination showed raised protein level. Nerve conduction studies revealed generalized demyelinating motor polyneuropathy consistent with GBS. The patient fully recovered within three days and was discharged well.