Introduction:

Deep neck abscesses are pus collections lodged in the deep cervical spaces. They are rare in the pediatric population, however, they can present life-threatening complications.

Objective:

To characterize the patients who consult for deep neck abscesses in the pediatric emergency department of Dr. Sótero del Rio Hospital.

Material and method:

Descriptive retrospective study. A review of clinical records of patients diagnosed with deep neck abscesses in the pediatric emergency department of Dr. Sótero del Rio Hospital between 2011 and 2018 was made. The clinical (anamnesis, physical exam, general and specific laboratory exams and management) and demographic characteristics were evaluated. The results were analyzed by descriptive statistics with measures of central tendency and range, using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS).

Results:

Forty-one patients between 0 and 15 years of age were included, with an average age of 7.2 years. 63% of the patients were male. There were 23 (56%) patients with peritonsillar abscesses (PA), 12 (29.2%) with retropharyngeal abscesses (RF), 5 (12.1%) with parapharyngeal abscesses (PF) and 1 (2.4%) with abscess of mixed type (RF-PF). 60% of the patients received some previous medical treatment. An imaging study was performed in 83% of the patients. All the patients presented high inflammatory parameters. In 80% of patients, medical treatment and some type of drainage were performed.

Conclusions:

Deep abscesses of the neck are a relatively rare entity in pediatrics, but potentially dangerous if not detected in time, so we must have a high index of suspicion to avoid complications.

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