Management of pediatric lateral neck infections: Does the adage ‘‘. . . never let the sun go down on undrained pus . . . ’’ hold true?
Author(s)
J. Courtney, Mark
Miteff, Alex
Mahadevan, Murali
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2007
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Objectives: Pediatric neck infections are frequently treated by Otolaryngologists, Head and Neck surgeons. The relative role of medical versus surgical treatment of pediatric neck infections is debated. The aims of this study are to analyze the management of pediatric neck infections with respect to clinical assessment, radiological assessment and treatment. Methods: Medical records from January 1999 to June 2005 were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Two hundred and five children with lateral neck infections were included in the study. The clinical diagnosis correlated with the radiology finding in 73.6% with a ...
View more >Objectives: Pediatric neck infections are frequently treated by Otolaryngologists, Head and Neck surgeons. The relative role of medical versus surgical treatment of pediatric neck infections is debated. The aims of this study are to analyze the management of pediatric neck infections with respect to clinical assessment, radiological assessment and treatment. Methods: Medical records from January 1999 to June 2005 were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Two hundred and five children with lateral neck infections were included in the study. The clinical diagnosis correlated with the radiology finding in 73.6% with a sensitivity of 28% and a specificity of 92% for lateral neck abscess recognition. The ultrasound finding correlated with the surgical finding in 65.2% with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 33%. When an ultrasound scan was used it changed the intended treatment plan in 10.5% of children. Conclusions: Accurate clinical assessment of lateral neck infections is poor, generally under estimating suppuration. However, when an abscess is diagnosed clinically this correlates highly with the surgical finding. Radiological assessment has inaccuracy in identifying suppuration and this should be borne in mind when being used as a diagnostic tool for neck infections.
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View more >Objectives: Pediatric neck infections are frequently treated by Otolaryngologists, Head and Neck surgeons. The relative role of medical versus surgical treatment of pediatric neck infections is debated. The aims of this study are to analyze the management of pediatric neck infections with respect to clinical assessment, radiological assessment and treatment. Methods: Medical records from January 1999 to June 2005 were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Two hundred and five children with lateral neck infections were included in the study. The clinical diagnosis correlated with the radiology finding in 73.6% with a sensitivity of 28% and a specificity of 92% for lateral neck abscess recognition. The ultrasound finding correlated with the surgical finding in 65.2% with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 33%. When an ultrasound scan was used it changed the intended treatment plan in 10.5% of children. Conclusions: Accurate clinical assessment of lateral neck infections is poor, generally under estimating suppuration. However, when an abscess is diagnosed clinically this correlates highly with the surgical finding. Radiological assessment has inaccuracy in identifying suppuration and this should be borne in mind when being used as a diagnostic tool for neck infections.
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Journal Title
International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
Volume
71
Issue
1
Subject
Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified
Clinical Sciences
Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine