Retropharyngeal abscess secondary to penetrating foreign bodies

A retrospective study was conducted on patients with upper aerodigestive tr act foreign bodies requiring operative intervention over a 12-year period t o aid in the recognition and management of foreign body associated complica tions. Oesophagoscopies were performed for the removal of foreign bodies in 37 patients, age one to 82 years with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. Ret ropharyngeal abscesses accounted for eight of 11 foreign body-associated co mplications. Fish bones were the cause in six cases, chicken bone and a pen refill in one case each. An abscess was already present at the time of ini tial procedure in six cases and developed in two cases after successful rem oval of the foreign body. A high level of suspicion for a retropharyngeal a bscess should be maintained in cases with perforation, and in patients with immunodeficiency, (C) 2000 European Association for Cranio-Maxillofacial S urgery.