• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.626-635
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• 1996

Odontogenic infections are usually locally confined, self-limiting processes. However, under certain circumstances, they may break through the bony, muscular, and mucosal barriers and spread into contiguous fascial spaces or planes far from the initial site of involvement, resulting in severe life-threatening complications, such as retropharyngeal spread, suppurative mediastinal extension, airway obstruction, pleuropulmonary suppuration, and hematogenous dissemination to distant organs. The mortality arte for mediastinitis from odontogenic infection ranges from 40% to 60%. Therefore rapid evalution and treatment is essential with a combination of life support, antibiotic therapy, and surgical intervention. Recently, we experienced three cases of retropharyngeal and mediastinal abscesses secondary to odonogenic infections. In all patients, early diagnosis was possible by CT scanning and physical examination. The prognosis was good in all patients by using urgent aggressive surgical and antibiotic therapy.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.76-79
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• 2001

A 60-year-old male was admitted due to cervical spine injury (C7-T1 fracture dislocation) and quadriparesis after slip down. During conservative management in department of neurologic surgery, he complainted of fever, dyspnea, neck swelling. Follow up cervicothoracic CT revealed abscess pocket in paraglottic, retropharyngeal, anterior cervical spaces and mediastinum. Also noted bilateral pleural effusions. Under impression of descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM). cervical drainage and bilateral chest tube insertion was performed immediately. On next day. mediastinal drainage through mediastinotomy was performed with careful handling of cervical spine. Escherichia coli was identified in bacteriologic culture. Wire fixation of dislocated C7-T1 spine through Posterior approach was performed on 30th days after mediastinotomy. Right chest tube was removed on 40th days. At now, the patient is on rehabilitation and physical training program. DNM is relatively rare, but lethal disease with high mortality. Immedate and sufficient mediastinal drainage is essential in treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.686-689
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• 1999

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis(DNM) is a rare complication of the oropharyngeal and cervical infection. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis requires an early and aggressive surgical approach to reduce the high morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. A 39-year-old man complained of odynophagia, neck swelling, and disturbance of swallowing with dyspnea. CT scans of the neck suggested a peritonsillar abscess and retropharyngeal and peripharyngeal abscess. He underwent cervical drainage. He remained febrile and complained of severe both pain in both shoulders. On postoperative day 5, a follow-up CT scan confirmed a mediastinal abscess. Reexploration of the neck and right thoracotomy for debridement and drainage of the mediastinal abscess were performed.. A large amount of pus was drained from the anterior and posterior mediastinum and its necrotic tissue was debrided. The patient's condition and radiologic findings gradually improved. Cultures of the drain fluid revealed Klebsiella pneumoniae. He was discharged on the 85th hospital day. In our experience, both transcervical drainage and aggressive mediastinal exploration via thoracotomy can lead to an improvement in the survival of the patient with descending necrotizing mediastinitis. CT scanning is useful for early diagnosis of mediastinitis and for follow up.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.420-429
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• 2000

Oral & maxillofacial infections are most commonly odontogenic in origin. Although such infections are usually self-limiting, they may occasionally spread deeply into fascial spaces or planes far from the initial site of involvement. If early diagnosis and appropriate therapy is delayed, complications such as mediastinal extension, retropharyngeal spread and airway obstruction could happen to the patients. For the study of the microbiology, we have retrospectively analysed the oral & maxillofacial infected patients in the Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. In-Ha University Hospital from 1997 September to 2000 April. The results were as follows 1. The male patients were more common than female, with male 61.9% and female 38.1%. 2. Dental originated infections were most common cause with the incidence of 62%. 3. Most common fascial space involved was buccal space 42cases(37.2%) followed by submandibular space 13cases(11.5%), infraorbital space 13cases(11.5%), masseteric space 11cases(9.7%), periapical abscess 11cases(9.7%). 4. The causative organisms isolated from the pus culture were Gram Positive Bacterial species, which were 46cases(31.9%) of Streptococcus viridans, 16cases(8.6%) of ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}-hemolytic$ streptococcus, 4cases(3.1%) of Strep.-group D non enterococci, 7cases(5.1%) of Staphylococcus Coa. neg., 5cases(3.9%) of Staphylococcus aureus, 3cases(2.3%) of Enterococcus faecalis, 1case(0.8%) of Bacillus species, 1case(0.8%) of Peptostreptococcus, 1case(0.8%) of Clostridium and Gram negative bacterial species, which were 4cases(3.1%) of Acinetobacter baumannii, 2cases(1.6%) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 2cases(1.6%) of Burkholderia cepacia, 1case(0.8%) of Neisseria species, 1case(0.8%) of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 1case(0.8%) of Klebsiella oxytoca, 1case(0.8%) of Escherichia coli. 5. In drug sensitivity test, high resistant tendency was found in Penicillin system(Penicillin G 83.3%, Ampicillin 60%) and Aminoglycosides (Gentamycin 50%, Tobramycin 45.5%), but tertiary Cephalosporin system(Cefoperazone 9.1%, Ceftazidime 18.2%), and glycopeptides system (Teicoplanin 0%, Vancomycin 0%) showed lower resistancy.