PERITONSILLAR ABSCESS

Course overview

PERITONSILLAR ABSCESSES ARE LOCALIZED COLLECTIONS OF PUS IN PERITONSILLAR SPACE BETWEEN THE TONSILLAR CAPSULE AND SUPERIOR CONSTRICTOR MUSCLE. SINCE THIS SPACE IS COMPOSED OF LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE, IT IS HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ABSCESS FORMATION FOLLOWING INFECTION. CLINICAL PRESENTATION MAY VARY FROM ACUTE TONSILLITIS WITH A MINIMAL UNILATERAL PHARYNGEAL BULGE TO DEHYDRATION AND SEPSIS. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES THE PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF PERITONSILLAR ABSCESSES AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH TO THE CARE OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.