Another cause of difficult airway in an elderly patient: Tongue-base abscess.

OBJECTIVE

An abscess of the tongue base is rare, but it can be a potentially life-threatening situation in elderly patients.

CASE REPORT: A 72-year-old male patient presented with mid-anterior neck swelling, odynophagia, poor oral hygiene and severe dyspnoea. After a difficult intubation, the muscles were dissected via a submental suprahyoid approach and the abscess was drained.

CONCLUSION

Poor oral hygiene may predispose elderly patients to tongue-base abscesses. An early decision should be made for surgical drainage due to the risk of airway obstruction.