Bilateral peritonsillar abscess is uncommon. When it does occur; patients usually present with sore throat; other clinical signs and symptoms may differ from those usually associated with unilateral peritonsillar abscess. We describe 2 cases of bilateral peritonsillar abscess that were successfully treated with needle aspiration of both sides with a 14-gauge intravenous cannula. Needle aspirati...

Objective. To review the literature concerning the 2 primary hypotheses put forth to explain the pathogenesis of peritonsillar abscess: ‘‘the acute tonsillitis hypothesis’’ (peritonsillar abscess is a complication of acute tonsillitis) and ‘‘the Weber gland hypothesis’’ (peritonsillar abscess is an infection of Weber’s glands). Data Sources. PubMed, EMBASE. Review Methods. Data supporting or ne...

Peritonsillar abscess is a common deep throat infection. Early diagnosis and prompt, appropriate management of a peritonsillar abscess prevents mortality. A 45-year-old woman on steroids for an ulcerative colitis (UC) exacerbation presented with sore throat and multiple skin ulcers on her left forearm and right foot. Computed tomography of the neck revealed a peritonsillar abscess. Gram stainin...

A peritonsillar abscess is one of the most commonly occurring deep space infections of the head and neck in adults and children. A peritonsillar abscess that appears in newborns, however, is extremely rare. The treatment of a peritonsillar abscess requires both the selection of appropriate antibiotics and the best procedure to remove the abscessed material. We report a case of a peritonsillar a...

We report a case of a pediatric patient with an initial diagnosis of peritonsillar cellulitis made by otolaryngology. The findings from a subsequent transcutaneous point-of-care ultrasound by a pediatric emergency physician directly affected the decision to perform needle aspiration. Sonographic characteristics of a peritonsillar abscess may be helpful in the prompt diagnosis of peritonsillar a...

Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a very frequent reason for urgent outpatient consultation and otolaryngological hospital admission. Early, correct diagnosis and therapy of peritonsillar abscess are important to prevent possible life-threatening complications. Based on physical examinations, a reliable differentiation between peritonsillar cellulitis and peritonsillar abscess is restricted. A het...

PERITONSILLAR abscess is a known cause of serious airway complications, and, in this context, is discussed in anesthesiology texts. Other medical literature contains reports of peritonsillar abscesses that spread along the deep fascial planes of the neck and chest. We report a rare case in which caudad spread of a peritonsillar abscess lead to life-threatening conditions in addition to airway c...

Several surgical methods are used to treat peritonsillar abscess, but no protocol for outpatient medical treatment has yet been published. Between February 2002 and February 2005, we treated 98 peritonsillar abscess patients with an outpatient medical regimen that involved hydration, antibiotics, steroids, and good pain control. All patients were Native Americans, who are known to have a partic...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between tonsillar and peritonsillar infections. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective population-based study and a retrospective case series review. SETTINGS Tertiary academic medical facility. SUBJECTS AND METHODS All individuals hospitalized with peritonsillar abscess (PTA) or peritonsillar cellulitis (PTC) during 2004-2008 were reviewed. Patient age, gend...

INTRODUCTION Peritonsillar infection is the most frequent complication of acute tonsillitis. Peritonsillar infections are collections of purulent material, usually located between the tonsillar capsule and the superior constrictor of the pharynx. Peritonsillar infection can be divided into abscess and cellulitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS We prospectively analysed the clinical data from 100 patien...