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Cervical infections

From Surgopaedia

Aetiology

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  • Congenital
    • Branchial cleft
    • Thyroglossal duct
  • Inflammatory
    • Spread from tonsillar infections (most common in children)
    • Odontogenic (most common in adults)
    • Salivary gland infection
    • Cervical lymphadenitis
    • Mastoiditis
  • Idiopathic
  • Iatrogenic
  • IVDU
  • Immunosuppression

Bacteriology

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  • Polymicrobial in 90% of cases
  • Strep pyogenes
  • Strep viridans
  • Strep pneumoniae
  • Staph aureus
  • Bacteroides oralis

Investigations

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  • FBE/BCs
  • Swab
  • XR to assess for pre-vertebral soft tissue swelling
  • CT - best way to evaluate

Management

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  • Assess and secure the airway
  • Obtain cultures
  • Resuscitation
  • Surgical drainage of any sizeable abscesses - mostly trans-cervical approach