Pott's Puffy Tumor in Young Age: A Systematic Review and Our Experience.

Background

Pott's Puffy Tumor (PPT) in young-age patients is a rare clinical entity characterized by osteomyelitis of the frontal bone with a subperiosteal abscess collection. Previous reviews primarily consist of small, retrospective case series and anecdotal reports. This study aims to present the largest, most up-to-date systematic review of essential clinical findings, diagnostic modalities, microbiologic considerations, and treatment approaches for managing PPT in pediatric and adolescent populations.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were systematically screened until 3 January 2024. The protocol of this investigation was registered on PROSPERO in January 2024, and the systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA statement. The study included 184 patients from 109 articles and an additional case from the authors' institution.

Results

PPT commonly stems from untreated rhinosinusitis, respectively, acute pansinusitis, frontal acute rhinosinusitis and chronic rhinosinusitis, and direct head trauma. Infections typically involve a polymicrobial anaerobe-predominant microbiome. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are routinely used for presurgical assessment and posttreatment surveillance. Intracranial complications were significantly associated with the type of surgical treatment (p value < 0.0001).

Conclusions

PPT is a significant and relatively morbid disease often under-recognized and misdiagnosed due to its variable clinical presentation. Management includes both antimicrobial therapy and surgical intervention, emphasizing the importance of an interdisciplinary approach.