Life-threatening deep fascial space infections of the head and neck.

In the preantibiotic era, deep fascial space infections were common, and physicians were well acquainted with their complex and sometimes subtle manifestations. Widespread use of antibiotics, however, not only has significantly decreased the incidence of deep neck infections but also has altered their clinical manifestations. This article is designed to emphasize the key clinical manifestations of the several life-threatening deep neck infections and relate them to critically important anatomic structures in the neck.