Aim: he purpose of this study was to evaluate the demographic data and clinical features of patients diagnosed with deep neck infection over a one-year period and hospitalized for treatment in a tertiary training and research hospital.
Material and methods: Files for cases treated and followed-up for deep neck infection in ourpediatric department during 2017 were evaluated retrospectively. Age, sex, month of presentation, presentation symptoms, physical examination findings, laboratory results, radiological imaging, consultations requested from other departments, treatments administered, number of days of hospitalization, and complications developing were assessed from these case files.
Results: Twenty-eight (63.6%)of the 44 patients hospitalized for treatment for deep neck infection in the pediatricdepartment were boys, and 16 (36.4%) were girls. Patients mean age was 57.45 ± 44.35 (5-191) months. Mean duration of hospitalization and treatment was 8.2 ± 2.8 (4-14) days. The most common presentation symptom was swelling in the neck (65.9%), and the most common physical examination finding was cervical lymphadenopathy (81.8%). Tooth decay was present in 27.3% of patients. Consultations were most commonly requested with the ear, nose and throat department, while consultations were requested with the external diseases department for five patients (11.3%).
Conclusion: The prevalence of deep neck infection has increased in recent years.Further studies are needed on the subject of deep neck infection, which may involve life-threatening complications. Physicians should pay closeattention to the relation between tooth decay and deep neck infection in all patients followed-up with a diagnosis of such infection.
Key words: Deep Neck Infection; Tooth Decay; Consultation; Childhood.
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