Gilad Horowitz1, Oded Ben-Ari, Adi Brenner, Dan M Fliss, Oshri Wasserzug. 1. Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. giladhorowitz@gmail.com
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis (longus colli tendinitis) in a general urban adult population. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study in a municipal medical center. SETTING: Single tertiary referral center. METHODS: All symptomatic patients with a differential diagnosis of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis underwent fiber-optic assessment, laboratory studies, and imaging studies. The main outcome measure was the incidence of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis. RESULTS: Thirteen patients with symptoms suggestive of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis were evaluated in our institution between January 2008 and December 2011. Final diagnosis was made by means of a computed tomographic scan: 8 patients had retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis, 1 had retropharyngeal abscess, and the remaining 4 had other deep neck infections. The mean annual crude retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis incidence was 0.50 cases per 100,000 person-years, and the standardized incidence was 1.31 for the age-matched population. CONCLUSIONS: Retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis is not a rare disease and is probably underdiagnosed because symptoms are nonspecific, treating physicians are often unfamiliar with this entity, and it is a self-limiting pathology.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis (longus colli tendinitis) in a general urban adult population. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study in a municipal medical center. SETTING: Single tertiary referral center. METHODS: All symptomatic patients with a differential diagnosis of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis underwent fiber-optic assessment, laboratory studies, and imaging studies. The main outcome measure was the incidence of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis. RESULTS: Thirteen patients with symptoms suggestive of retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis were evaluated in our institution between January 2008 and December 2011. Final diagnosis was made by means of a computed tomographic scan: 8 patients had retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis, 1 had retropharyngeal abscess, and the remaining 4 had other deep neck infections. The mean annual crude retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis incidence was 0.50 cases per 100,000 person-years, and the standardized incidence was 1.31 for the age-matched population. CONCLUSIONS:Retropharyngeal calcific tendinitis is not a rare disease and is probably underdiagnosed because symptoms are nonspecific, treating physicians are often unfamiliar with this entity, and it is a self-limiting pathology.