RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article was to investigate the difference of clinical manifestations in deep neck infections between pediatric patients and adult patients and to consider their respective treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The author reviewed the experience of 158 patients with deep neck infections from 1995 to 2004. Peritonsillar abscess, superficial infection, and infections related to external neck wound and head and neck tumors were excluded. Among 158 patients, 43 patients were children. To find out the characteristics of deep neck infection with pediatric patients, the author compared these patients with adult patients using student t-test and chi-square test. RESULTS: Compared with adult patients, pediatric patients with deep neck infections were found to have less dysphagia as a symptom, lower complication rate, fever higher than 38degrees C, and the white blood cell count of more than 15,000/mm3 (p0.05). CONCLUSION: The author suggests that the prognosis of the pediatric patients with deep neck infections seems to be relatively good compared with adult patients and the severity of the disease should not be overestimated on the ground of high fever or white blood cell count.