Abdullah Adnan, Shakoor Ehsan Ul, Jamil Tasnuba Raisa, Hina Anum
Acute Medicine, Queen's Hospital, Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, GBR.
Acute Frailty, King George Hospital, Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, GBR.
Cureus. 2024 Jun 15;16(6):e62442. doi: 10.7759/cureus.62442. eCollection 2024 Jun.
Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess, though rare, poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its atypical presentation. We present the case of a 51-year-old male with a history of drug abuse and inhalational burn injury presented with generalized weakness, sensory deficits, and neurological symptoms. Despite initial negative investigations, subsequent MRI and microbiological studies confirmed a rare case of tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess. The patient underwent urgent drainage and anti-tubercular therapy, experiencing complications such as infection that required prolonged hospitalization and multidisciplinary care. This case underscores the importance of considering tuberculosis in differential diagnosis, especially in patients with unusual presentations and predisposing factors. It highlights the need for comprehensive evaluation, early intervention, and multidisciplinary management to prevent complications and improve outcomes. The case serves to raise awareness among clinicians about this uncommon presentation, emphasizing the need for a high index of suspicion in high-risk individuals and the importance of long-term follow-up and adherence to anti-tubercular therapy.
结核性咽后脓肿虽然罕见，但因其非典型表现而带来重大的诊断和治疗挑战。我们报告一例51岁男性病例，该患者有药物滥用史和吸入性烧伤史，表现为全身无力、感觉障碍和神经症状。尽管初始检查结果为阴性，但随后的MRI和微生物学研究证实了一例罕见的结核性咽后脓肿病例。患者接受了紧急引流和抗结核治疗，出现了感染等并发症，需要长期住院和多学科护理。该病例强调了在鉴别诊断中考虑结核病的重要性，尤其是在表现异常和有易感因素的患者中。它凸显了进行全面评估、早期干预和多学科管理以预防并发症和改善预后的必要性。该病例旨在提高临床医生对这种不常见表现的认识，强调对高危个体要有高度的怀疑指数，以及长期随访和坚持抗结核治疗的重要性。
