Pott puffy tumor: a rare complication of sinusitis

• Main Authors: Ayub ur Rehman, Muhammad Noor Muhammad, Fadi Adnan Moallam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre 2013-01-01
• Series: Annals of Saudi Medicine
• Online Access: https://www.annsaudimed.net/doi/full/10.5144/0256-4947.2012.26.5.1116

Pott puffy tumor, a rare complication of sinusitis in adults, appears as a localized swelling over the frontal region or forehead. This swelling is due to a subperiosteal abscess resulting from osteomyelitis of the underlying frontal bone. This condition may be associated with an epidural purulent collection, subdural empyema, and intracerebral abscess. This entity is rare—even forgotten—since the advent of modern powerful antibiotics. A 27-year-old male was referred to ENT OPD with forehead swelling, fever and headache. The patient had mooth doughy swelling of the foreheadwith surrounding cellulitis and swelling spreading to the orbits as periorbital odema. On examination, patient had very poor oral hygiene with severe dental caries. CT with contrast conformed pansinusitis with erosion of frontal bone and abscess. An early recognition of this forgotten complication of sinusitis will help avoid severe neurological sequelae and increased morbidity and mortality.