Cervical Epidural and Retropharyngeal Abscess Induced by a Chicken Bone

Abstract

Retropharyngeal abscess is occasionally seen in children, but is less common in adults where it usually occurs secondary to iatrogenic oropharynx trauma or a perforated foreign body in the oropharynx. Spinal epidural abscess in combination with a retropharyngeal abscess, which may cause rapid and irreversible neurological deterioration, is not often found, as indicated by the very few reports in the literature. Here we report a 52-year-old male with a clinical history of seizure and mental retardation since childhood who presented at our emergency room with severe sore throat of 1 day’s duration. A chicken bone was removed successfully. However, he complained of progressive dysphagia, sore throat and posterior neck pain during the following 5 days. Flexible fiber-laryngoscopy showed bulging of the retropharyngeal wall and a small ulcer at the right posterior pharyngeal wall. A neck computed tomography (CT) scan showed a retropharyngeal abscess at the oropharynx and hypopharynx level. His symptoms showed partial improvement after the administration of intravenous antibiotics. However, 2 weeks later he developed high fever, posterior neck pain and flaccid tetra-paresia. Emergent neck CT scan revealed a mild retropharyngeal abscess and epidural abscess formation between the second and third cervical vertebrae. The patient’s family refused drainage of the pre-vertebral and epidural pus. After receiving 2 months of antibiotics, the patient regained the mobility of his limbs