A parapharyngeal abscess is a deep neck abscess. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, odynophagia, and swelling in the neck down to the hyoid bone. Diagnosis is by CT. Treatment is antibiotics and surgical drainage.

The parapharyngeal (pharyngomaxillary) space is lateral to the superior pharyngeal constrictor and medial to the masseter muscle. This space connects to every other major fascial neck space and is divided into anterior and posterior compartments by the styloid process. The posterior compartment contains the carotid artery, internal jugular vein, and numerous nerves. Infections in the parapharyngeal space usually originate in the tonsils or pharynx, although local spread from odontogenic sources and lymph nodes may occur.

Abscess swelling can compromise the airway. Posterior space abscess can erode into the carotid artery or cause septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (Lemierre syndrome).

Symptoms and Signs

Most patients have fever, sore throat, odynophagia, and swelling in the neck down to the hyoid bone. Anterior space abscesses cause trismus and induration along the angle of the mandible, with medial bulging of the tonsil and lateral pharyngeal wall. Posterior space abscesses cause swelling that is more prominent in the posterior pharyngeal wall. Trismus is minimal. Posterior abscesses may involve structures within the carotid sheath, possibly causing rigors, high fever, bacteremia, neurologic deficits, and massive hemorrhage caused by carotid artery rupture.

Pharyngeal Abscess

Diagnosis

• CT

Diagnosis is suspected in patients with poorly defined deep neck infection or other typical symptoms and is confirmed by using contrast-enhanced CT.

Treatment

• Broad-spectrum antibiotics (eg, ceftriaxoneSome Trade Names
  ROCEPHIN
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  , clindamycinSome Trade Names
  CLEOCIN
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  )
• Surgical drainage

Treatment may require airway control. Parenteral broad-spectrum antibiotics (eg, ceftriaxoneSome Trade Names
ROCEPHIN
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, clindamycinSome Trade Names
CLEOCIN
Click for Drug Monograph
) and surgical drainage are generally needed. Posterior abscesses are drained externally through the submaxillary fossa. Anterior abscesses can often be drained through an intra-oral incision. Several days of parenteral culture-determined antibiotics are required after drainage, followed by 10 to 14 days of oral antibiotics. Occasionally, small abscesses can be treated with IV antibiotics alone.

Last full review/revision October 2012 by Clarence T. Sasaki, MD

Content last modified November 2012