Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Transtonsillar drainage of parapharyngeal abscess

  • Miscellaneous
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head & Neck Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report a parapharyngeal abscess in an adult patient that was drained transorally by performing ipsilateral tonsillectomy and aspirating the pus through the tonsillar bed. This approach is unusual as most previous studies report the aspiration of such abscesses through the lateral pharyngeal mucosa. In addition, the majority of these studies are limited to pediatric cases. Our approach was effective and resulted in a rapid resolution of the symptoms. The management and different approaches to parapharyngeal abscess are discussed, and the literature is reviewed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. El-Sayed Y, Al Dousary S (1996) Deep neck abscesses. J Otolaryngol 25:227–233

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Gidley PW, Ghorayeb BY, Stiernberg CM (1997) Contemporary management of deep neck space infections. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 116:16–22

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Levitt GW (1971) The surgical treatment of deep neck infections. Laryngoscope 81:403–411

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Scott BA, Stiernberg CM (1993) Deep neck space infections. In: Bailey BJ (ed) Head and neck surgery and otolaryngology, 1st edn. Lippincott Raven, Philadelphia, pp 738–753

  5. Choi SS, Vezina LG, Grundfast KM (1997) Relative incidence and alternative approaches for surgical drainage of different types of deep neck abscesses in children. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 123:1271–1275

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Johnson JT (1997) Deep neck abscesses. In: Myers EN (eds) Operative otolaryngology head and neck surgery. WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 667–675

  7. Mcewan JA, Dhingra J, Rowe-Jones J, Bleach NR (1997) Parapharyngeal abscess: a rare complication of elective tonsillectomy. J Laryngol Otol 111:578–579

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Maran GD, Mackenzie IJ, Murray JAM (1984) The parapharyngeal space. J Laryngol Otol 98:371–380

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. De Marie S, Tjon A Tham RT, Van Der Mey AG, Meerdink G, van Furth R, Van der MeerJW (1989) Clinical infections and non-surgical treatment of parapharyngeal space infections complicating throat infections. Rev Infect Dis 11:975–982

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cable BB, Brenner P, Bauman NM, Mair EA (2004) Image-guided surgical drainage of medial parapharyngeal abscesses in children: a novel adjuvant to a difficult approach. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 113:115–120

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Nagy M, Pizzuto M, Backstrom J, Brodsky L (1997) Deep neck infections in children: a new approach to diagnosis and treatment. Laryngoscope 107:1627–1634

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Ferrer Baixauli F, Garcia Callejo FJ, Morant Ventura A, Suarez Vicent E, Marco Algarra J (2001) Parapharyngeal abscess secondary to peritonsillar abscess in childhood. Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 52:723–726

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Amar YG, Manoukian JJ. Intraoral drainage (2004) Recommended as the initial approach for the treatment of parapharyngeal abscesses. Otolaryngology Head Neck Surg 130:676–680

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Alaani A, Griffith H, Minhas SS, Olliff J, Drake AB (2004) Parapharyngeal abscess: diagnosis, complications and management in adults. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Matt BH, Lusk RP (1987) Delineation of a deep neck abscess with magnetic resonance imaging. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 96:615–617

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mr. F. Rapado, SpR, in ENT for translating one of the Spanish articles.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. D. Karkos.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Badran, K., Karkos, P.D., Acharya, M. et al. Transtonsillar drainage of parapharyngeal abscess. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 263, 49–52 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-005-0955-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-005-0955-9

Keywords

Navigation