Bezold's Abscess; A Case Report.

A 76-year-old woman was referred to Sapporo Med. Univ. Hosp. with right lateral neck swelling, otorrhea, and anorexia, but without any local pain or high fever. She was diagnosed as having otitis media and a deep neck abscess by CT-scan. Emergency drainage of the neck abscess was performed. Bacteroides intermedius was cultured from the pus. Three days after the drainage, a mastoidectomy was performed. The well-developed mastoid cavity and air cells were filled with the flaccid granulation and pus. The mastoid tip was revealed to have a bone defect, and the mastoid cavity was considered to be continuous with the neck abscess. Several suggestions for treatment of elderly patients was discussed.