Treatment of Deep Neck Infections-Aseer Experience

Background: The incidence of deep neck infections (DNIs) has been significantly reduced by the advent of modern antibiotic therapy. Though these infections became relatively rare, the life threatening complications merit special considerations by head and neck surgeons.Objective: To assess the patterns of treatment and to identify the possible predisposing factors of deep neck infections (DNIs).Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by review¬ing the medical records of 27 patients who were diagnosed as having DNIs from 2000-2007 within Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Their demographic profile, methods of treatment, bacteriology, complications and outcome of the diseases were reviewed.Results: A total of 27 patients had deep neck infections (19 males and 8 females), with an age range of 2-80 years (mean+SD: 27.04±18.76). Peritonsillar abscess accounted for 13 (48.1%) patients while only 1 (3.7%) had peritonsillar cellulitis. Four patients (14.8%) had submandibular abscess and an equal number (4, 14.8%) suffered from submandibular cellulitis; 3 (11.1%) patients had gluteal Abscess and one (3.7%) was diagnosed to have neck abscess and another one had maxillary abscess (3.7%). The clinical examination of these 27 patients revealed that 25 (92.6%) patients encountered pain and almost half (13, 48.1%) of the patients had fever, 13 (48.1%) had neck swelling; 6 (22.2%) had Dysphagia and 5 (18.5%) had drooling of saliva.Conclusion: DNIs are associated with significant morbidity and mortality even after the advent of modern antibiotics.