Last update:
07-Jul-2004

Prevertebral inflammatory processes are usually due to infections such as osteomyelitis, which may be associated with an underlying systemic disease such as tuberculosis or lymphoma, and less frequently with benign chordoma and malignant tumors or pseudotumors such as osteophytes. Prevertebral abscesses are very rare diseases but they are dangerous because the infection spreads rapidly through the prevertebral space. This is a report of a patient with a prevertebral abscess and osteomyelitis of the cervical vertebrae due to a steroid injection performed for arthritis of the cervical spine. The medical and surgical management and the postoperative course are discussed. The Dean approach was performed, as there was evidence of extension of the prevertebral abscess into the retropharyngeal space.

Key words: Abscess, Corticosteroids, Prevertebral space.