Anatomic considerations in infections of the face and neck: review of the literature.

An attempt was made to summarize the literature concerning the potential spaces between fascial layers in the face and neck and to correlate the variations in terminology used by different authors. It soon became evident in a search of the literature that far too many names are given to the same anatomical space and that there is a wealth of written material for study. As a result, the descriptions given here deal with the terminology that was most frequently encountered (Table). As anatomical relations form the basis of diagnosis and therapy, a thorough knowledge of the nature of infective processes in the facial and cervical regions is essential. The various fascial spaces are described and some general aspects of diagnosis are considered.