Atraumatic Infected Septal Hematoma in a Pediatric Patient

We present a case of a 10-year-old male who developed an atraumatic, nasal septal hematoma with abscess following several days of rhinorrhea and cough. His chief complaint to the emergency department was a two-day history of nasal swelling and discomfort, associated with difficulty breathing through his nose. The patient was well-appearing with swelling and tenderness along the external nasal ridge and nasal septal swelling that occluded both nares. Contrast-enhanced maxillofacial computed tomography revealed a rim-enhancing, fluid-filled collection to the anterior nasal septum. The patient underwent successful incision and drainage by otolaryngology.

Infected septal hematomas are rare but important to recognize as they can result in septal deformity and potentially life-threatening sequelae, such as intracranial infections. Most are secondary to nasal trauma in adult patients. This case highlights a unique presentation of atraumatic septal hematoma with abscess formation in an immunocompetent pediatric patient.