Treatment of Tuberculous Cervical Abscess / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis is not an uncommon inflammatory disorder in Korea. It often does not respond to the antituberculous medication, but grows up gradually making the cervical abscess. Authors aimed to find out the clinical features and the treatment modalities of tuberculous cervical abscess. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: From Jan. 2001 through Dec. 2005, 52 cases of the tuberculous cervical abscess (16 males, 36 females age range 18-63 years, mean 30.4 years) were diagnosed and managed at the Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center. We reviewed medical records of patients to find out their presentations, diagnostic considerations, therapeutic options, and outcomes. Patients were followed up for sixteen months on the average after treatment. RESULTS: There was no difference in the duration of antituberculous chemotherapy according to the surgical methods. However, in the cases of mass excision (91.7%), cure rate (remnant mass size <5 mm) was higher, compared to incision and drainage (80.0%). Compared to excision (3/15, 25%, 39 days), incision and drainage needed more days for dressing for healing (4/5, 80%, 90 days). CONCLUSION: Therefore, we recommend, if possible, complete excision as a therapeutic modality in cases of tuberculous cervical abscess.