• Q Lisan, H Tran, B Verillaud, and P Herman.
• Service d'otorhinolaryngologie et chirurgie cervicofaciale, hôpital Lariboisière, AP-HP, université Paris 7 Denis-Diderot, 2, rue Ambroise-Paré, 75475 Paris cedex 10, France. Electronic address: quentin_lisan@yahoo.fr.
• Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2016 Feb 1; 133 (1): 55-7.

IntroductionRetropharyngeal abscess is a well-known entity in children, but can also occur in adults. The two main vascular complications are vascular compression and pseudoaneurysm, while infectious arteritis of the internal carotid artery is exceptional.Case ReportThe authors describe a case of a retropharyngeal abscess in an adult woman complicated by infectious arteritis of the internal carotid artery. This rare complication was treated by endovascular occlusion of the internal carotid artery and incision and drainage of the abscess in combination with antibiotic and anticoagulant therapy. The patient did not present any neurological sequelae and follow-up MRI did not reveal any signs of vascular or neurological complications.DiscussionThis case highlights the importance of thorough examination of imaging performed in the context of deep neck space abscess to detect signs of vascular involvement. Treatment must be aggressive in view of the life-threatening risk of arterial rupture or septic embolism. This is the first reported case of infectious arteritis involving the internal carotid artery complicating retropharyngeal abscess.Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

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