Kawasaki disease as a rare cause of suppurative sterile lymphadenitis in pediatrics

Background

Pediatric surgeons frequently encounter pediatric patients with various differential diagnoses for neck lymph node swelling. Kawasaki disease is a rare cause of neck lymph node swelling in children.

Case reports

A nine-year-old boy presented with a right-sided neck lymph node mass and fever for two days. Inflammatory markers were elevated. An abscess or liquefactive necrosis developed within the enlarged lymph nodes. An intraoperative swab tested negative for pathogens, and the blood culture was unremarkable. The child was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease.

Discussion

The number of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease has increased over the past two years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this case, the sterile abscess resulted from the vascular necrosis of significantly enlarged lymph nodes and vasculitis affecting the supplying blood vessels.

Conclusion

Kawasaki disease is a rare cause of suppurative sterile neck lymphadenitis in children. Early diagnosis and timely treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) significantly improve the prognosis of Kawasaki disease.