Airway management in a rare case of tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess with cervical spine instability
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Ayyash, Reema; Pradhan, Chandrashekhar; Syed, Mohd Arif
- Source
- Anaesthesia Cases; January 2015, Vol. 3 Issue: 1 p1-5, 5p
- Subject
- Language
- ISSN
- 23968397
Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess is extremely rare in adults and, if left untreated, is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs is essential. Delay can lead to long-term disability due to spinal cord compression or spinal deformity. Spinal involvement is seen in 5% of cases. This report highlights the challenges faced in airway management of a young adult male with cervical spine instability secondary to tubercular retropharyngeal abscess. The importance of co-ordinated multi-speciality intervention in facilitating a successful outcome is emphasised.