呼吸困難を呈した咽後膿瘍の1例

A Case of Retropharyngeal Abscess with Severe Dyspnea

　はじめに

　咽後膿瘍は3歳以下の乳幼児に発症することが多く，加齢とともに発症頻度は減少し成人には少ないとされてきたが，近年では成人に発症する割合が増加している^1〜4）。

　今回われわれは，上気道感染に伴い発症し，急激に病状が悪化して呼吸困難をきたし，気管切開術を行った咽後膿瘍の1例を経験したので，文献的考察を加え報告する。

A 55-year-old man complained of sore throat. Physical examination revealed a reddish edematous swelling on the right posterior wall of the pharynx, and similar swelling on the epiglottis and arytenoid.The patient underwent emergency trachotomy, because of the progressive dyspnea. Local findings and x-ray examinations including CT confirmed the diagnosis of retropharyngeal abscess. On next day following trachotomy, the patient underwent a drainage of the abscess by intraoral approach under general anesthesia. Subsequent recovery was uneventful. On the 27th day, the patient was discharged from hospital.