Retropharyngeal abscess leading to fatal airway obstruction in a child – A case report

Retropharyngeal abscess (RPA) with respiratory distress is an uncommon clinical situation in the current era of medicine, as patient come to the physician earlier in the disease process. RPA with airway compromise in children is a rare and life threatening situation which needs emergency care not only to drain abscess but also important to secure the airway. RPA needs prompt diagnosis and early management which often require surgical drainage to achieve optimum result. The diagnosis is based on clinical and radiological pictures. The management needs securing the airway, surgical drainage and antibiotics. Here, we are reporting a case of 13-year-old boy with breathing difficulty due to grossly compromised supraglottic airway, undergone emergency tracheostomy followed by trans-oral abscess drainage.