Retropharyngeal abscess in children: a retrospective and historical analysis.

The charts of 65 pediatric patients with the diagnosis of retropharyngeal abscess were reviewed. These represented a 36-year experience with the disease. The findings were compared with those documented at the turn of the century and were also compared with findings over the last four decades. The data suggests that retropharyngeal abscess may be occurring later in childhood and may not always be preceded by a major detectable infection. Classic diagnostic findings of retropharyngeal bulge and neck stiffness were present in less than half of the patients. Gram-negative and anaerobic organisms are being documented on culture more frequently than in the past. We theorize that liberal use of oral antibiotics prior to admission may have brought about these changes.