ArticleCureus2026
Retropharyngeal Abscess: Patterns of Deep Neck Space Extension and Clinical Findings From 11 Adult Cases.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionRetropharyngeal abscess (RPA) in adults is rare but associated with significant morbidity due to rapid extension into deep neck spaces and the risk of life-threatening complications. Early diagnosis and intervention remain essential, yet management strategies continue to be debated. This study aims to analyze epidemiological, clinical, imaging, and management-related characteristics of adult RPA cases and identify factors associated with disease severity, spread, and outcomes.
methodsA retrospective chart review was conducted at the Otolaryngology Department of a tertiary university hospital between January 2016 and October 2025. Adult patients with clinically and radiologically confirmed RPA were included. Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentation, microbiological findings, imaging results, airway status, management strategies, and outcomes, along with laboratory parameters including WBC and CRP levels.
resultsEleven adults (seven males, four females; mean age 53.5 ± 15.4 years) were included. Mean WBC was 16.5 ± 3.11 ×10³/µL and mean CRP was 191 ± 110 mg/L. The most common symptoms were odynophagia and fever. Nine patients (81.8%) demonstrated radiological extension into deep neck spaces, most frequently the parapharyngeal and prevertebral spaces. Surgical drainage was performed in 10 patients; eight underwent transoral drainage, two required combined approaches, and two required tracheostomy. Staphylococcus species were the most common isolates. Mean hospitalization was 14.2 days (range 4-42). All patients survived.
conclusionsAdult RPA frequently presents with extensive spread beyond the retropharyngeal space, owing to the anatomical continuity of this compartment, which facilitates rapid extension to the parapharyngeal, prevertebral, and mediastinal regions. Contrast-enhanced CT is essential for defining disease extent. Prompt airway evaluation and early broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy combined with surgical drainage remains the cornerstone of management, contributing to favorable outcomes.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.