2017 Volume 149 Pages 51-60
Retropharyngeal abscess typically occurs during childhood and is rarely encountered in adults. Recently, the incidence of this disease has been decreasing, probably as a result of the application of progressive antibacterial drug therapies and a decline in tuberculosis. In cases with serious retropharyngeal abscesses, however, dyspnea caused by airway stenosis can occur, and progression to the mediastinum can result in mediastinitis. To prevent disease progression, early and appropriate treatments are needed. Retropharyngeal abscess can produce different symptoms, including a sore throat, odynophagia, and posterior neck pains. These symptoms are regarded as typical initial symptoms, but some non-specific symptoms sometimes emerge initially. It is essential to diagnose the ones in imagese in CT and MRI to correct diagnosis finally. Retropharyngeal abscess is infrequently accompanied by cervical vertebra lesions, such as spondylitis or spinal epidural abscess. These accompanying diseases often present neurologically, as paralysis of the upper or lower extremities. Here, we present two cases of retropharyngeal abscess accompanied by spondylitis.
