Serious soft tissue infections of the head and neck

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · American Family Physician; (United States)

OSTI ID:5264106

Herr, R D; Murdock, R T; Davis, R K ^[1]

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1. University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City (USA)

The head and neck contain a number of spaces that can be invaded by organisms of the mouth or by spread of cervical osteomyelitis. Infection in these spaces may progress from superficial infection to cellulitis to the formation of an abscess requiring immediate drainage. Spread of infection between spaces depends on anatomic location. Most patients require hospitalization and intravenous antibiotic therapy. Because a deep space infection may be occult, a high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis. Early recognition is necessary to avoid tissue damage, bacteremia or airway compromise. The possibility of deep space infection should be considered in any patient who does not respond to the usual treatment of an abscessed tooth or tonsillitis. This type of infection also should be considered in a toxic patient who has a fever of unknown origin, with or without blood cultures that show anaerobic organisms. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is usually necessary to locate the infection and to detect suppuration that will be amenable to surgical exploration and drainage. 25 references.

• OSTI ID: 5264106
• Journal Information: American Family Physician; (United States), Vol. 44:3; ISSN 0002-838X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BACTERIAL DISEASES
DIAGNOSIS
HEAD
NECK
EMISSION COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY
EXTRACELLULAR SPACE
MAN
NMR IMAGING
ANIMALS
BODY
BODY AREAS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
MAMMALS
PRIMATES
SPACE
TOMOGRAPHY
VERTEBRATES
550602* - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)