Retropharyngeal abscess in a neonate: A case report and literature review

We report a rare neonatal case of retropharyngeal abscess (RPA). A 4-day-old neonate was seen for stridor without fever. CT and MRI examinations detected an RPA together with the air-bubble sign. Surgical drainage of the abscess yielded copious pus. He was treated with antibiotics after surgery and made an uneventful recovery. Respiratory symptoms develop more easily than fever in neonatal RPA. According to previous reports, air-bubble findings and a mass localized on the left side tend to be found during radiological examinations. These radiological features are common in neonates with pyriform sinus fistulae, which can cause RPA.