Masticator space abscess in a 47-day-old infant

• Main Authors: Eunhee Kim, Ju Hee Jeon, Yoon Hee Shim, Kyu-Seok Lee, So Young Kim, Eun Ryoung Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Pediatric Society 2011-08-01
• Series: Korean Journal of Pediatrics
• Subjects: Abscess; Infant; Bacteremia
• Online Access: http://kjp.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjped-54-350.pdf

A 47-day-old male infant presented with fever, poor oral intake, irritability, and right-sided bluish buccal swelling. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the neck showed a round mass lesion of about 2.0×1.5 cm that suggested abscess formation in the right masticator space. Ultrasound-guided extraoral aspiration of the abscess at the right masseter muscle was successful. Staphylococcus aureus was identified in the culture from the aspirated pus and blood. Appropriate antibiotics were given and the patient recovered. The patient underwent follow-up ultrasonography that showed an improved state of the previously observed right masseter muscle swelling at about 1 month after hospital discharge. A masticator space abscess usually originates from an odontogenic infection in adults. We report a case of masticator space abscess in a 47-day-old infant in whom septicemia without odontogenic infection was suspected.