Needle aspiration of nonperitonsillar head and neck abscesses. A six-year experience

Twenty-five patients with various head and neck abscesses have been managed with needle aspiration as the initial surgical modality over a six-year period. Twenty (83%) of 24 patients' abscesses resolved without formal surgical intervention. Patient 25 in the series whose abscess, though initially resolving, reaccumulated within two weeks requiring an incision and drainage. Recurrent cancer was then diagnosed. Eight of ten large-volume abscesses (over 10 mL) were controlled with needle aspiration. Fourteen patients required multiple aspirations, five of whom had indwelling catheters placed to facilitate abscess decompression. These data confirm that needle aspiration is an effective means of controlling nonperitonsillar abscesses of the head and neck.