Nasal Endoscopic Incision and Drainage Transnasal Retropterygoid Approach to Upper Parapharyngeal Abscess: A Novel Technique

Abstract

Parapharyngeal infection is a well-known disease of otorhinolaryngologists. Rapid onset, short duration, severe symptoms, and manifestations such as sore throat and dysphagia are common characteristics treated primarily by surgical incision and drainage. Traditional surgical approaches encompass endoscopic transoral/nasal, transparotid, transcervical, or a combination thereof. We report a novel technique of nasal endoscopic incision and drainage transnasal retropterygoid approach to an upper parapharyngeal abscess. This report presents a case of a 14-year-old man presented with severe right neck and head pain, who was found to have an upper parapharyngeal abscess during a nasal endoscopic parapharyngeal exploration via a retropterygoid approach. The intraoperative frozen section revealed chronic mucosal inflammation and mild to moderate dysplasia of the squamous epithelium, but no carcinoma.