A 15-Month-Old Boy With Respiratory Distress and Parapharyngeal Abscess: A Case Report
Gharib، Behdad نويسنده Department of Pediatrics, Childrens Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Gharib, Behdad , Mohammadpour، Masoud نويسنده Department of Pediatric, Pediatric Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mohammadpour, Masoud , Sharifzadeh، Meisam نويسنده Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Sharifzadeh, Meisam , Mirashrafi، Fatemeh نويسنده Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mirashrafi, Fatemeh , Yaghmaie، Bahareh نويسنده Department of Pediatrics, Childrens Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Yaghmaie, Bahareh , Pak، Neda نويسنده Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran , , Mehdizadeh، Mehrzad نويسنده Department of Radiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.Tehran- Iran , , Eshaghi، Hamid نويسنده , , Gorji، Mojtaba نويسنده Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Gorji, Mojtaba , Memarian، Sara نويسنده Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Memarian, Sara
Parapharyngeal abscess is a life-threatening disease. Upper respiratory tract infection is the main cause in children. We present a 15-month-old boy admitted to the emergency ward with the chief complaint of difficulty in breathing caused by parapharyngealabscess. His condition deteriorated gradually, and he transferred to the operation theater quickly for abscess drainage and because of the difficulty in orotracheal intubation; a tracheostomy was performed. His respiratory condition deteriorated 2 days after PICU admission, and the medical team noticed an unexplainable respiratory distress. A chest x ray obtained and showed a right side pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema around theneck area. The case presented here, had not been diagnosed at the first examination; however, there were enough clinical clues (such as respiratory distress, drooling, torticollis, bulging of theneck, previous viral respiratory infection, possible pharyngeal trauma). The story of this case reminds us the importance of the precise physical exam and history taking which could be life-saving.