Bezold's abscess: a unique complication of otitis media

Otitis media is one of the more common pathologic entities treated by primary care physicians and otolaryngologists. With antibiotic therapy, the majority of these infections do not progress beyond the primary disease process. However, there are situations during which the primary otitis media may not resolve, and complications can form as a result of its persistence. One such complication is the formation of a Bezold's abscess. This results from an underlying coalescent mastoiditis which progresses laterally into the deep neck space. The following is a case presentation of a Bezold's abscess followed by a discussion detailing the pathophysiology, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease process.