Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T16:54:41.044Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Citrobacter freundii causing pharyngitis and secondary retropharyngeal abscess with intrathoracic extension to the diaphragm: minimally invasive management of a rare case

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2010

A Trinidade*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Rd, Luton LU4 0DZ
V Sekhawat
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Rd, Luton LU4 0DZ
Z Andreou
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Rd, Luton LU4 0DZ
J Meldrum
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Rd, Luton LU4 0DZ
S Kamat
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Rd, Luton LU4 0DZ
J Panesar
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Rd, Luton LU4 0DZ
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Aaron Trinidade, ENT Department, Luton and Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton LU4 0DZ, UK. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Introduction:

Citrobacter freundii is a rare but potentially aggressive cause of pharyngitis which may progress to retropharyngeal abscess with diaphragmatic extension.

Objective:

To raise awareness of: (1) citrobacter as a potential cause of head and neck infection, including retropharyngeal abscess; (2) a novel surgical approach to draining such an abscess; and (3) citrobacter's particular biological properties which may affect the clinical course.

Method:

Case report.

Results:

The abscess was drained via a minimally invasive posterior pharyngeal wall incision and placement of a suction catheter into the mediastinum through this incision. Residual intrathoracic collections were drained by the cardiothoracic team via percutaneous aspiration. The patient made a full recovery.

Conclusion:

Early recognition of citrobacter head and neck infections, an awareness of the peculiarities of the clinical course of such infections, and timely surgical intervention can prevent catastrophic outcomes. A minimally invasive approach to mediastinal collections can be considered as a viable alternative to open thoracotomy, which carries a high morbidity rate.

Type
Online Only Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Mohanty, S, Singhal, R, Sood, S, Dhawan, B, Kapil, A, Das, BK. Citrobacter infections in a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. J Infect 2007;54:5864CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Lipsky, BA, Hook, EW 3rd, Smith, AA, Plorde, JJ. Citrobacter infections in humans: experience at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center and a review of the literature. Rev Infect Dis 1980;2:746–60CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Samonis, G, Karageorgopoulos, DE, Kofteridis, DP, Matthaiou, DK, Sidiropoulou, V, Maraki, S et al. Citrobacter infections in a general hospital: characteristics and outcomes. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2009;28:61–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Canario, DG, Remé, P, Cunha, BA. Citrobacter koseri infection and abscess associated with Harrington rods. Am J Infect Control 2004;32:372–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Martínez-Lage, JF, Martínez-Lage Azorín, L, Almagro, MJ, Bastida, ME, Reyes, S, Tellez, C. Citrobacter koseri meningitis: a neurosurgical condition? Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2009; Aug 28. [Epub ahead of print]Google ScholarPubMed
6Cai, T, Giubilei, G, Vichi, F, Farina, U, Costanzi, A, Bartoletti, R. A rare case of lethal retroperitoneal abscess caused by Citrobacter koseri. Urol Int 2007;79:364–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Yalçi, A, Pişkin, N, Aydemir, H, Gürbüz, Y, Türkyilmaz, FR. A case with psoas abscess caused by Citrobacter freundii. Turk J Gastroenterol 2006;17:248–9Google ScholarPubMed
8Tomita, H, Osada, S, Miya, K, Matsuo, M. Delayed recurrence of postoperative intra-abdominal abscess: an unusual case and review of the literature. Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2006;7:551–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9Aderdour, L, Hassani, R, Nejmi, H, Elfakiri, MM, Maliki, O, Droussi, H et al. Retropharyngeal abscess revealing diabetes: a case report. Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 2008;69:526–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Maini, S, Brown, MJ, Ali, O, Davies, S, Al Shafi, KM. Acute tonsillitis complicated by retropharyngeal and thyroid abscess infected with de-repressed beta lactamase Citrobacter mutans. J Laryngol Otol 2001;115:327–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11Civen, R, Väisänen, ML, Finegold, SM. Peritonsillar abscess, retropharyngeal abscess, mediastinitis, and nonclostridial anaerobic myonecrosis: a case report. Clin Infect Dis 1993;16(Suppl. 4):S299303CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12Ridder, GJ, Technau-Ihling, K, Sander, A, Boedeker, CC. Spectrum and management of deep neck space infections: an 8-year experience of 234 cases. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;133:709–14CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13Mora, R, Jankowska, B, Catrambone, U, Passali, GC, Mora, F, Leoncini, G et al. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis: ten years' experience. Ear Nose Throat J 2004;83:774, 776–80CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14Rizvi, M, Fatima, N, Rashid, M, Shukla, I, Malik, A, Usman, A et al. Extended spectrum AmpC and metallo-beta-lactamases in Serratia and Citrobacter spp. in a disc approximation assay. J Infect Dev Ctries 2009;3:285–94CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Minarini, LA, Poirel, L, Cattoir, V, Darini, AL, Nordmann, P. Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants among enterobacterial isolates from outpatients in Brazil. J Antimicrob Chemother 2008;62:474–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16al-Ibrahim, KE. Descending necrotising mediastinitis: a case report and review of the literature. Eur J Cardiothoracic Surg 1995;9:161–2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Wheatley, MJ, Stirling, MC, Kirsh, MM, Gago, O, Orringer, MB. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis: transcervical drainage is not enough. Ann Thorac Surg 1990;49:780–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18Estrera, AS, Landay, MJ, Grisham, JM, Sinn, DP, Platt, MR. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis. Surg Gynecol Obstet 1983;157:545–52Google ScholarPubMed
19Adelson, RT, Murray, AD. Minimally invasive transoral catheter-assisted drainage of a danger-space infection. Ear Nose Throat J 2005;84:785–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed