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Case Reports
. 2017 Apr;30(2):179-181.
doi: 10.1080/08998280.2017.11929575.

Pott puffy tumor

Pranav Sharma  1 , Salil Sharma  1 , Nishant Gupta  1 , Puneet Kochar  1 , Yogesh Kumar  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Pott puffy tumor

Pranav Sharma et al. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Pott puffy tumor is osteomyelitis of the frontal bone with associated subperiosteal abscess causing swelling and edema over the forehead and scalp. It is a complication of frontal sinusitis or trauma. We present the case of an 8-year-old girl with frontal swelling. Imaging evaluation showed frontal osteomyelitis as a complication of frontal sinusitis with associated epidural and subperiosteal abscess. The patient was treated surgically and recovered well. This case highlights the need for high clinical suspicion and early diagnosis and management to prevent life-threatening complications. Unfortunately, in our case the patient had to undergo surgery for this complication, which could have been prevented by earlier diagnosis.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Sagittal CT of the brain with (a) bone window and (b) soft tissue window images shows erosion of the outer and inner cortices of frontal bone (arrow) with prefrontal soft tissue swelling (arrow).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
(a) Sagittal T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and (b) axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images show frontal sinusitis (smaller arrow), frontal bone defect (curved arrow), and frontal epidural collection (longer arrow) with peripheral rim enhancement (larger double arrows) suggestive of epidural abscess. A small subperiosteal abscess is also noted in the frontal soft tissues (smaller double arrows).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Postoperative postcontrast (a) axial and (b) sagittal MRI images show resolution of the extradural abscess and frontal sinus infection. The burr holes (arrows) are related to surgical evacuation of the abscess.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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