Descending necrotizing mediastinitis: a clinical analysis based on 10 years of published data in China / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) to provide a reference for the early diagnosis and timely treatment of DNM.@*Methods@#Data on DNM in China was electronically retrieved from the core databases and comprehensively reviewed from June 2012 to June 2023. The infection, pathogenic microorganisms, main symptoms, comorbidities and treatment methods of DNM were analyzed.@*Results@#The data of a total of 781 DNM patients, with an average age of (52.97 ± 5.64) years, were retrieved, including 554 males and 227 females. Odontogenic source, tonsillitis, pharyngeal abscess, sialoadenitis, upper respiratory tract infection, foreign body injury, or iatrogenic traumatic procedures are common causes. Among these, odontogenic infection is the most common source. Streptococcus sp. (n = 217) and Staphylococcus sp. (n = 82) were most isolated, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (equally n = 59). A total of 69.4% (542/781) of DNM patients recruited in this study were discovered to have various comorbidities, and more than one-third of these patients (n = 185) had diabetes. Of the broad antibiotics, carbapenem was most frequently used as treatment, and vancomycin was the most frequently coadministered. The mediastinal drainage approach varies widely, and the optimal regimen is still unknown. Seventy-two patients were treated with video-assisted thoracoscopic/mediastinoscopic surgical drainage, 22 patients were treated with percutaneous catheter drainage, 30 underwent the transcervical approach, and 40 underwent thoracotomy. A total of 617 patients who were selected underwent the appropriate combined operation for surgical drainage according to the specific location of the infected focus. The overall mortality rate of all 781 DNM patients included was 11.2%.@*Conclusion@#The most effective diagnosis and treatment of DNM is a high degree of clinical vigilance followed by prompt and adequate drainage with intensive care, including hemodynamic monitoring, nutritional support, computer tomographic scanning repeated as necessary, and combined use of systemic antibiotics.

Mediastinitis necrotizante descendente de origen odontogénico / Descending necrotizing mediastinitis of odontogenic origin

Resumen Introducción: El tratamiento inoportuno e ineficaz de las infecciones odontogénicas puede causar complicaciones potencialmente mortales como la mediastinitis necrotizante descendente (MND). La MDN es una infección grave que afecta al cuello-tórax, con una alta tasa de mortalidad por sepsis e insuficiencia orgánica si no se trata de manera rápida y efectiva. Objetivo: Describir un caso de MND de origen odontogénico y su manejo médico-quirúrgico. Caso clínico: Presentamos un paciente de sexo masculino de 34 años que ingresa con un cuadro infeccioso agudo de origen odontogénico, que compromete espacios de la cabeza, cuello y tórax (mediastino superior), el cual se trata exitosamente. Discusión: Las infecciones odontogénicas son generalmente localizadas y que se pueden tratar mediante terapias convencionales. A pesar de esto, si estas infecciones no pueden controlarse, ya sea por no realización de tratamientos oportunos o por estados inmunosuprimidos del paciente, se pueden desarrollar diferentes complicaciones como la MND. Conclusión: Un diagnóstico rápido, el tratamiento quirúrgico agresivo, la terapia antibiótica adecuada y la atención de apoyo son los pilares fundamentales para el manejo de la MND.

Introduction: Inappropriate and ineffective treatment of odontogenic infections can cause life-threatening complications such as Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis (MND). MDN is a serious infection that affects the neck-thorax, with a high mortality rate from sepsis and organ failure if it is not treated quickly and effectively. Aim: To describe a case of MND of odontogenic origin and its medical-surgical management. Case report: We present a 34-year-old male patient who is admitted with an acute infectious condition of odontogenic origin, which compromises spaces of the head, neck and thorax (upper mediastinum), which is treated successfully. Discussion: Odontogenic infections are generally localized and can be treated by conventional therapies. In spite of this, if these infections cannot be controlled, either by not carrying out appropriate treatments or by immunosuppressed states of the patient, different complications such as MND can develop. Conclusion: A rapid diagnosis, aggressive surgical treatment, adequate antibiotic therapy and supportive care are the fundamental pillars for the management of MND.

Retrospective analysis of 59 patients with descending necrotizing mediastinitis from oral and maxillofacial space infection / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@# A retrospective analysis aimed to identify the clinical features of patients with descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) to improve the effects of treatment and prognosis.@*Methods@#The clinical data of 59 patients with DNM who were treated in the Department of Oncology of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University and transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) were retrospectively analyzed from March 2010 to March 2020. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the risk factors that were associated with mortality.@*Results @# A total of 59 patients were identified: 21 cases of DNM typeⅠ (35.6%), 19 cases of DNM typeⅡA (32.2%), and 19 cases of DNM type ⅡB (32.2%). All patients with DNM received emergency surgery. Patients with typeⅠ and ⅡA underwent anterior mediastinal xiphoid incision and drainage combined with thoracic drainage. The thoracic mediastinum was completely debrided, and postoperative drainage was performed in type ⅡB patients. Pus samples from all 59 DNM patients were cultured for bacteria, and 19 of them were positive. Systemic antiinflammatory therapy was administered. Five patients died (8.5%), and 54 patients survived (91.5%). Compared with the survival group, the mortality group had a higher proportion of patients aged ≥ 65 years, with diabetes, with an interval from admission to ICU ≥ 6 days, with an APACHE Ⅱ score ≥ 20 days, with a duration of ICU treatment ≥ 10 days, and with septic shock, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). @*Conclusions@#Timely transfer to the intensive care unit for treatment combined with early active surgery and timely treatment of systemic diseases and systemic antimicrobial therapy is the key to reducing DNM mortality.

Absceso mediastínico con extensión espontánea a través de la pared torácica / Mediastinal abscess with spontaneous across chest wall extension

Introduction: Mediastinal abscess (MA) is a rare disease in the adult population. Generally presents as a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) with high morbidity and mortality. The prognosis improves with an early diagnosis associated with an aggressive surgical drainage. Clinical case: We report a clinical case with a MA with an unusual spontaneous extension across the chest wall.

Introducción: Los abscesos mediastínicos (AM) son una patología poco frecuente en la población adulta. Su presentación clínica más habitual es la de un síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica (SIRS) con una elevada morbimortalidad. Su pronóstico mejora con un diagnóstico temprano asociado a un drenaje quirúrgico agresivo y precoz. Caso clínico: Presentamos un caso clínico de un AM con una inusual extensión espontánea a través de la pared torácica.

Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis from Odontogenic Infection: a Case Report

A Case of Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis Penetrating to the Esophagus / Journal of Rural Medicine

Here, we present the case of a 78-year-old man with a deep neck infection that caused descending necrotizing mediastinitis that extended from the pharynx to the stomach and was accompanied by two large esophageal fistulas and multiple gastric ulcers. We believe that the series of lesions were the signs of a hidden carcinoma.<br>

A Case of Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis Penetrating to the Esophagus / Journal of Rural Medicine

Here, we present the case of a 78-year-old man with a deep neck infection that caused descending necrotizing mediastinitis that extended from the pharynx to the stomach and was accompanied by two large esophageal fistulas and multiple gastric ulcers. We believe that the series of lesions were the signs of a hidden carcinoma.

Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis: Report of Three Cases / 대한이비인후과학회지

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) is a rare but well-known, rapidly fulminant polymicrobial infection of subcutaneous tissues. It is characterized by progressive destruction of fascia and adipose tissue, with sparing of the overlying skin and muscle in the initial stage. CNF may rapidly spread into the thorax along fascial planes, and the associated diagnostic delay makes this descending necrotizing mediastinitis, the most lethal form of mediastinitis, with a mortality of approximately 40 per cent. So aggressive multidisciplinary therapy with surgical drainage is mandatory. We present three cases of descending necrotizing mediastinitis with literature review.

Management of Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis with Thoracoscopy / 대한흉부외과학회지

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a life-threatening infection originating in the head or the neck and descends into the mediastinum. Even in the era of antibiotics, mortality rate has been reported to be 25~40%. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is mandatory for delayed diagnosis and inappropriate drainage of the mediastinum are the main causes of high mortality. Surgical management ranges from cervical drainage to routine thoracotomy: however, the optimal management still needs to be defined particularly in respect to effective mediastinal drainage. Although posterolateral thoracotomy incision has been considered as a standard approach, potential disadvantages including postoperative pain, risk of wound complication and delayed recovery remain to be concerned. Thoracoscopic approach is an attractive treatment modality as it can provide an excellent exposure with minimal incision and can complete drainage from the mediastinum and the neck in one-staged manner. We describe here two cases of descending necrotizing mediastinitis successfully managed by thoracoscopic drainage.

Two Cases of Deep Neck Infection with Mediastinal Involvement / 대한이비인후과학회지

Deep neck space infections affect fascial compartments of the head and neck, and their contents. Acute mediastinitis occasionally occurs as a complication of neck infections resulting in neck sepsis, which spreads to the mediastinum via the cervical fascial planes, and this is best referred to as descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM). We recently experienced two cases of deep neck infection dissecting along cervical fascial planes into the mediastinum causing a virulent mediastinitis. Aggressive antibiotic treatment of the deep neck infections along with prompt complete mediastinal drainage are recommended for optimal outcome.