DIFFICULTY IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF PARAPHARYNGEAL ABSCESS: FOREIGN BODY?

¹Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, KBB Anabilim Dalı, Isparta, Türkiye
²Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Radyoloji Anabilim Dalı, Isparta, Türkiye Parapharyngeal abscess may cause significant mortality and morbidity due to difficulty in diagnosis and management. Early diagnosis is necessary to prevent the development of complications. We report a parapharyngeal abscess in an 8-year-old female patient. She was referred to our clinic after antibiotic treatment for 7 days, with the diagnosis of parapharyngeal abscess secondary to dental infection. Contrast enhanced CT scan of the neck revealed an air-filled area, and oedematous soft tissue around it, in the left parapharyngeal space. Surgical exploration of left parapharyngeal space through an oral approach has revealed a wooden-foreign body. She had an uneventful postoperative period. Although the radiological investigation does not demonstrate any foreign body and there is no visible injury site, unpainted and non-opaque foreign body injury must be suspected. Keywords : Abscess, foreign body, parapharyngeal abscess, periodontal abscess