Transoral approach for draining parapharyngeal space abscesses involving multiple maxillofacial spaces

Abstract

The parapharyngeal space (PPS) connects multiple maxillofacial spaces (including the submandibular, retropharyngeal, and submasseteric spaces), and it is one of the most complex anatomic locations in the head and neck. Infection in the PPS may cause a series of life-threatening conditions such as mediastinal abscesses. Herein, we present the case of a PPS abscess involving multiple maxillofacial spaces, which was successfully incised and drained using a minimally invasive transoral approach under local anaesthesia. This minimally invasive approach requires full anatomic knowledge of the neck spaces. Additionally, the approach requires that the patient should be able to tolerate local anaesthesia and not have a compromised airway or severe trismus, and the infection should only affect the prestyloid compartment. *Correspondence to: Jianfeng Liu, Department of Otolaryngology, ChinaJapan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China, Tel: +86 10 8420 5288; E-mail: mmconfucius@163.com