Influences of patient age on deep neck infection: clinical etiology and treatment outcome.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the differences in clinical features, etiology, treatment modalities, and microbiology of the deep neck infections between the elderly and the adults.

STUDY DESIGN: Cases series.

SETTING: Single hospital.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on patients older than 18 years of age with diagnosis of deep neck infection from January 2008 to December 2012. A total of 148 patients were enrolled in this study, including 32 elderly (older than 65 years of age) and 116 adults who aged between 18 and 65. Data collected included age, gender, clinical presentations, etiology, treatment modalities, and microbiology.

RESULTS: Odontogenic and salivary origin were the most common sources of infection for the elderly group, whereas the odontogenic and tonsillar origin were the most common sources of deep neck infections in the adult group. Compared to the adult group, the elderly group had significantly higher ratio with multiple spaces involved (53.1% vs 30.2%, P = .016), complication (15.6% vs 4.3%, P = .024), and surgical interventions (75.0% vs 38.8%, P < .001), in addition to longer hospital stay (11.1 ± 7.2 days vs 8.2 ± 4.5 days, P = .029).

CONCLUSION: Compared to the adult group, the elderly patients with deep neck infection had more cases with multiple spaces involvement, complications, surgical interventions, and longer hospital stay. However, the outcome of the elderly group was the same as the adult group. Therefore, the benefits of aggressive management for deep neck infection should not be withheld from patients simply because of the old age.