Symptoms include fever, sore throat, painful swallowing, and swelling in the neck.[2] An anterior space abscess can cause lockjaw (spasm of jaw muscle), and hard mass formation along the angle of the mandible, with medial bulging of the tonsil and lateral pharyngeal wall. A posterior space abscess causes swelling in the posterior pharyngeal wall, and lockjaw is minimal. Other structures within the carotid sheath may be involved, causing rigors, high fever, bacteremia, neurologic deficit, or a massive haemorrhage caused by carotid artery rupture.[2]
Cause
Infection can occur from:
Pharynx: acute and chronic infection of tonsil and adenoids
Teeth: dental infection occurs from lower last molar tooth
External trauma: penetrating injuries of neck, injection of local anaesthetic[3]
Epidemiology
Parapharyngeal abscess is more common in male than the female gender.[4][5] Any age group can develop a parapharyngeal abscess but it is most commonly seen in children and adolescents.[6] Adults who are immunocompromised are also at high risk.[7]
↑ Grisaru-Soen G, Komisar O, Aizenstein O, Soudack M, Schwartz D, Paret G (September 2010). "Retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscess in children--epidemiology, clinical features and treatment". Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 74 (9): 1016–20. doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2010.05.030. PMID20598378.
↑ Croche Santander, B.; Prieto Del Prado, A.; Madrid Castillo, M.D.; Neth, O.; Obando Santaella, I. (2011). "Abscesos retrofaríngeo y parafaríngeo: Experiencia en hospital terciario de Sevilla durante la última década" [Retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscess: experience in a tertiary-care center in Seville during the last decade]. Anales de Pediatría. 75 (4): 266–72. doi:10.1016/j.anpedi.2011.03.010. PMID21531183.
↑ Alaani, A.; Griffiths, H.; Minhas, S. S.; Olliff, J.; Drake Lee, A. B. (2004). "Parapharyngeal abscess: Diagnosis, complications and management in adults". European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. 262 (4): 345–50. doi:10.1007/s00405-004-0800-6. PMID15235797.
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