Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parotid abscess is a potentially life-threatening disease which can spread deeply into neck spaces. It is uncommon in clinical practice. To minimize the occurrence of fatal complications, appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic modalities are suggested after reviewing the cases at our hospital.METHODS: Eleven patients were diagnosed with parotid abscess and were treated from November 1998 to November 2008. They were retrospectively reviewed. All patients' clinical symptoms and signs, etiology, diagnostic methods, bacteriology, medical antibiotic treatment and timing of surgical intervention were tabulated.RESULTS: Eleven patients were diagnosed with parotid abscess. Eight of them were male and the other three were female. The ages ranged between 22 and 88 years with a mean age of 48.3 years. Seven cases were having parotid abscess on the left side and the rest were on the right side. The most common symptoms at the time of presentation were painful swelling of infra-auricular region (100%) and fever (91%). Typical etiologies were odontogenic infections or poor oral hygiene. Immunocompromised patients such as diabetes mellitus and cancer were at a higher risk of having this disease. CT (Computed Tomography) scans provide important information regarding abscess size, location, and relative positions of the great vessels and airway. In the series, there were six positive finding of pus bacterial cultures. Three were Klebsiella pneumoniae, two were Staphylococcus aureus, and one was Mycobacterium tuberculosis. One patient received intravenous antibiotics alone. In addition to antibiotic treatment, eight patients underwent surgical incision and drainage, and two underwent needle aspiration of pus. The patient received intravenous antibiotics alone was dead due to sepsis while others had complete resolution of disease without recurrence or sequelae.CONCLUSION: Fatal complications of deep neck infection should always be ruled out if a patient is suspected of having parotid abscess. In the management of parotid abscess, parenteral broad spectrum antibiotics and adequate hydration should be given and surgical intervention should be initiated.
Translated title of the contribution | Parotid Abscess |
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Original language | Chinese (Traditional) |
Pages (from-to) | 61-66 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Journal of Taiwan Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery |
Volume | 46 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - 2011 |
Keywords
- sepsis
- facial paralysis
- parotid abscess