Retropharyngeal Abscess and Mediastinitis in a Well-Appearing Infant With Prolonged Fever

Fever is a common presenting chief complaint in the pediatric emergency department. We report the case of a well-appearing 11-month-old female with 2 weeks of daily fevers who was found to have an extensive retropharyngeal abscess with mediastinal and extrapleural extension. We review the literature on retropharyngeal abscesses and mediastinitis in children and note that this patient is unusual as she presented with such extensive disease with minimal symptoms. This case demonstrates the importance of a thorough history and broad differential diagnosis when evaluating children presenting prolonged fevers.