Pott's puffy tumor in a 5-year-old male and a review of the literature

Abstract

Pott's puffy tumor is a rare entity, described as a subperiosteal abscess associated with underlying cranial osteomyelitis. It is more commonly seen in the adolescent age group and may result from frontal sinusitis or trauma. We present a case of a 5-year-old male with forehead swelling, meningitis, and brain abscess communicating between epidural and subdural spaces. Treatment included 8 weeks antibiotic therapy with broad spectrum coverage of anerobic and aerobic organisms. Initial surgical approach included soft tissue incision and drainage of abscess, right frontal sinus trephine, and right endoscopic sinus surgery. One week after his initial procedure, he returned to OR for right pterional craniotomy for drainage of multiple intracranial abscesses. Total inpatient care was 4 weeks duration, and a full recovery was achieved with no long term neurological sequelae. We include an updated review of the literature of pediatric Pott's puffy tumor in children less than 10 years of age.