PMC1581466_01
Patient at presentation. (a) General view of the face. Note severe
submental and upper neck swellings. (b) Trismus: this is the
maximal mouth opening.
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F1
A 24-year old black female, G4P3, at 29 weeks gestation, was presented to a local hospital complaining of facial swelling (Figure 1(a)). It was difficult to perform an adequate oral exam secondary to pain, swelling, and severe trismus (Figure 1(b)) which allowed her to open her mouth to only 15 mm (average range 40-45 mm).
CT-scan demonstrating fluid collections in the left lateral pharyngeal
space (arrow).
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F2
An emergent CT-scan showed fluid collections in the left lateral pharyngeal space (Figure 2) extending to the level of the valleculae.
Patient postintervention. Note large number of drains.
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F3
Numerous Penrose drains and red rubber catheter drains were left in place to maintain drainage of pus and facilitate daily irrigation (Figure 3).