Comparison of Management Strategies of Peritonsillar Abscess
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34631/sporl.790Keywords:
Peritonsillar abscess; deep neck infection; antibiotic therapy; drainageAbstract
Aim: Describe the clinical presentation and laboratorial/imaging studies of patients with peritonsillar abscess (PTA), identify possible predictive factors of complications and compare different initial treatment strategies with therapeutic success.
Study Design: Retrospective.
Material and Methods: Review of PTA cases, observed in an ENT Emergency Service, between 2012 and 2016.
Results: We recorded 254 cases, including 42 pediatric cases. The presence of fever, dysphagia, sialorrhea, cervical swelling and pain and palpable adenopathies were more frequent in the pediatric group. During this period, 28 cases received medical treatment alone and 226 underwent surgical drainage; there were no differences in length of stay, complications, treatment failure or recurrence. Conservative treatment was performed predominantly in the pediatric group and in smaller abscesses. Smoking and cervical pain were identified as predictors of complications.
Conclusions: The treatment of PTA generally presents favorable outcomes. Nonsurgical treatment can be considered in stable pediatric patients, with small PTA, without compromising outcome. Adult patients with major abscesses may benefit from initial surgical drainage.
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