peritonsillar abscess

(noun)

Peritonsillar abscess (PTA), also called a quinsy, or abbreviated as a PTA, is a recognized complication of tonsillitis. It consists of a collection of pus beside the tonsil in what is referred to as Peritonsilar space (Peri - meaning surrounding).

Related Terms

Examples of peritonsillar abscess in the following topics:

  • Fusobacteria

    • Once this sore develops into a peritonsillar abscess, the pocket is filled with pus and bacteria in close proximity to the tonsils.
    • At this point, bacteria which are capable of thriving in anaerobic conditions, such as Fusobacterium necrophorum can flourish deep in the abscess.

  • Tonsillectomy

    • It is performed in response to cases of repeated occurrence of acute tonsillitis or adenoiditis, obstructive sleep apnea, nasal airway obstruction, snoring, or peritonsillar abscess.

  • Pharyngitis

    • Occasionally, however, these bacteria can create a peritonsillar abscess.
    • In 1 out of 400 untreated cases, Lemierre's syndrome can occur as a result of these abscesses.

  • Abscesses and Ulcers

    • An abscess is a collection of pus that results from an infectious process, while an ulcer is a break or opening in the mucous membrane.
    • An abscess is a collection of pus (dead neutrophils) that has accumulated in a cavity formed by the tissue in which the pus resides, due to an infectious process (usually related to bacteria or parasites) or other foreign materials (e.g. splinters, bullet wounds, or injecting needles).
    • The final structure of the abscess is an abscess wall, or capsule, that is formed by the adjacent healthy cells in an attempt to keep the pus from infecting neighboring structures.
    • An abscess is a collection of pus (dead neutrophils) that has accumulated in a cavity formed by the tissue on the basis of an infectious process (usually caused by bacteria or parasites) or other foreign materials (e.g. splinters, bullet wounds, or injecting needles).

  • Sinusitis

    • Spreading to the orbit may result in periorbital cellulitis, subperiosteal abscess, orbital cellulitis, and abscess.
    • Sinusitis may extend to the central nervous system where it may cause cavernous sinus thrombosis, retrograde meningitis, and epidural, subdural, and brain abscesses.

  • Spinal Cord Compression

    • Spinal cord compression develops when the spinal cord is compressed by bone fragments from a vertebral fracture, a tumor, abscess, ruptured intervertebral disc, or other lesion .
    • The most common causes of cord compression are tumors, but abscesses and granulomas (e.g. in tuberculosis) are equally capable of producing the syndrome.
    • In spinal cord compression, the spinal cord (shown here) may be compressed by bone fragments from a vertebral fracture, a tumor, abscess, ruptured intervertebral disc, or other lesion.

  • Lymphogranuloma Venereum

    • These changes can further progress to necrosis, abscesses and fistulas.
    • Sometimes drainage of the buboes or abscesses is performed as well.

  • Injuries to the Phrenic Nerves

    • For example, a subphrenic abscess beneath the right diaphragm might cause a patient to feel pain in the right shoulder (Kehr's sign).

  • The Diagnostic Scheme

    • In practice most minor infectious diseases such as warts, cutaneous abscesses, respiratory system infections and diarrheal diseases are diagnosed by their clinical presentation.
    • The images are useful in detection of, for example, a bone abscess or a spongiform encephalopathy produced by a prion.

  • Listeriosis

    • In the advent of listeriosis, bacteremia should be treated for two weeks, meningitis for three weeks, and brain abscess for at least six weeks.