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Glossal abscess.

Abstract

A 21-year-old man presented to our emergency department with a two-day complaint of painful swelling and protrusion of the tongue, odynophagia, dysphagia, and difficulty with speech. A nonfluctuant area of tongue swelling was identified; needle aspiration of this site produced 5 mL of pus, with considerable amelioration of symptoms. Culture of the aspirate subsequently grew Hemophilus parainfluenzae, the first such reported case of this pathogen in a glossal abscess. Glossal abscess is a rare clinical entity that may result in airway compromise and disseminated infection to other systems. The presence of a glossal abscess should be considered in all cases of tongue swelling.

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BibTeXRIS

R J Roberge, R M Fowler, N M Mayer. 1989. Glossal abscess.. https://doi.org/10.1016/0735-6757(89)90048-x

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Abscess