Presentation
Pain on swallowing following perceived fish bone ingestion 4 days earlier. Known diabetic.
Patient Data
Marked widening of the pre-vertebral soft tissue between C2 and C7, with multiple gas foci within at the C3-C4 level.
Annotations showing the normal width of the pre-vertebral soft tissue at the various cervical levels.
The annotated pathological images reveals the magnitude of the soft tissue widening.
Huge fluid-gas filled rim enhancing abscess in the retropharyngeal space.
Its extends over nearly the whole length of the cervical spine.
Case Discussion
Knowledge of the deep spaces of the neck is important, especially in the diagnosis and management of neck infections.
The surgical approach and patient outcome is determined by the space or spaces involved.
This case illustrates a large retropharyngeal abscess, which was subsequently surgically drained.
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.