Bacterial and histopathological findings in deep head and neck infections: a retrospective analysis

Publication date: Available online 20 February 2017
Source:Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
Author(s): Robert Cordesmeyer, Philipp Kauffmann, Tröltzsch Markus, Christian Sömmer, Helmut Eiffert, Felix Bremmer, Rainer Laskawi
ObjectivesDeep neck infections are among the most dangerous acute diseases in the head and neck region. This analysis gives an overview of the bacterial and histopathological findings of deep neck infections.Study DesignFrom January 2002 to December 2012, 63 patients were diagnosed and treated with deep neck infections in the University Medical Center Göttingen. Bacterial and histopathological examinations were made, and the occurrence of bacterial pathogens and the histopathological findings were analyzed.ResultsThe most commonly isolated aerobic Gram-positive pathogens were Streptococcus viridans (26.7%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus were each found in 16.7% of infections. The most commonly isolated aerobic Gram-negative pathogens were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca and Haemophilus influenzae. In 1.6% of the patients, a malignant cancer was detected.ConclusionFor clear diagnosis and effective therapy, a bacteriological investigation in deep neck infections is essential because of the heterogeneous spectrum of the detected bacteria. In contrast to Asia, where Klebsiella pneumoniae is the most common pathogen, we discovered a dominating spectrum of aerobic Gram-positive cocci in South Lower Saxony, Germany. A biopsy obtained from an abscess cavity for histological examination should always be part of the diagnostic process in order to exclude a malignant process.



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