[Results of treatment of deep neck abscesses and phlegmons].

INTRODUCTION: Neck, as a structure very closely connected with oral cavity and pharynx, with great number of lymph nodes, (about 2, 3 of all are in the neck), is sometimes a localization of purulent inflammatory process but its incidence is not so high as the incidence of inflammations of surrounding organs and tissue. Deep neck abscesses are localized under the upper fascial layer. They have a serious clinical picture which could be further complicated if inflammation spreads on vessels or neck organs. If the processes spread toward the mediastinum because of the communication space between medial and deep fascial layer with mediastinum, it could be mediastinal inflammation with high mortality. The aim of this study is evaluation of results of treatment in patients with deep neck abscesses and phlegmons treated at Clinic in a ten year period (1988-1997).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study comprised 21 patients who were treated at the ENT Clinic in Novi Sad during 1988-1997. The group consisted of 5 female and 16 male patients from one to 65 years of age. Sixteen (76.2%) patients were treated with antibiotics in general practice, and 5 were admitted without previous therapy, 8 patients were afebrile, with temperatures between 37-38 degrees C and 5 with fever and high temperature. In 17 patients 5 days passed from onset of symptoms to admittance at the Clinic, and 4 patients had enlarged neck lymph nodes a few months. Unknown primary site of infections were in 13 (61.9%) patients, that means abscesses developed as colliquation of inflammatory changed lymph node. In the rest of 8 patients abscesses developed as: oropharyngeal inflammation (4 patients), foreign body perforation of esophagus, chronic otitis media, neck injury, malignant lymphoma. Lateral side of the neck was the most frequent site of neck abscesses and phlegmon in 16 (76%) patients. Red skin over the abscesses didn't appear in 4 patients. In 2 patients neck emphysema developed: anaerobic inflammation in one patient and esophageal perforation in the second. In a patient with SE over the 50 per hour the length of the abscess was over 7 cm, and in those with SE over 100 per hour, the whole neck inflammed. All patients underwent surgical therapy between 24 to 48 h after admission with incision or excision of the abscesses. Pus was collected for culture during the incision or excision of the abscesses and phlegmon. Bacteria were discovered in specimens taken during the incision in 4 (19%) of patients. Different aerobic and anaerobic bacteria were isolated: Enterococcus, Peptostreptococcus sp, Streptococcus viridans, Clostridium species. Surgery was the basic therapy of neck phlegmons and abscesses. In all patients incision was sutured in the second stage. Only one patient got paralysis of n. accesorius. One patient died with gas gangrene of the neck. DISCUSSION AND
CONCLUSION: Deep neck abscesses and phlegmons are relatively rare inflammations in spite of high incidence of surrounding tissue inflammations. The most frequent causes are inflammatory changes of lymph nodes. Treatment has to be urgent, because of vital neck structures and communications between deep neck space and mediastinum. We consider that surgery is the basic principle of therapy although we have not had experience with needle aspiration. Antimicrobial agents must be given only parenterally.