7 and 8. Lump in neck and lymphadenopathy Flashcards
History taking neck lump/lymphadenopathy
Duration of onset
Any recent change in size, number of neck lumps
Associated symptoms (especially red flag symptoms, discussed below)
Relevant past medical history – smoking status, alcohol intake, previous head and neck cancers, and known radiation exposure (e.g. previous radiotherapy)
How long has the lump been present?
Is it painful?
Has it changed? If so, over what time frame?
Are there symptoms of recent infection of nearby structures (cough, cold, sore throat, earache, toothache, skin problems, head lice, bites)?
Has there been a fever?
Does eating affect the lump?
Is there pain when swallowing?
Is there any effect on voice?
Does the person smoke?
Is there a history of travel?
Is there a past history of cancer?
Are there red flag symptoms of systemic illness? For example:
Night sweats.
Weight loss.
Unexplained bruising or bleeding.
Persistent fatigue.
Breathlessness.
Examination neck lump and lymphadenopathy
Look, feel, move
LOOK:
Location (anterior triangle, posterior triangle or midline)
Size
Shape (oval, round or irregular)
Skin changes (erythema, tethering or ulceration)
Pulsatile (e.g., carotid body tumours)
FEEL
Consistency (hard, soft or rubbery)
Surface eg rough, smooth, irregular
Shape
Warmth (e.g., infection)
Tenderness (e.g., infection)
Size: use a tape measure
Compressible?
Fluctuant?
Pulsatile (high blood flow) or expansile (aneurysmal)? Is there a palpable thrill?
MOVE
● Skin tethering - attempt to pick up a fold of skin over the swelling and compare the
degree of tethering with the other side
● Tethering to deeper structures - attempt to move the swelling in different planes
relative to the surrounding tissues.
● Tethering to muscles and tendons - palpate the swelling whilst asking the patient to
use the relevant muscle.
Movement with swallowing (e.g., thyroid lumps) or sticking their tongue out (e.g., thyroglossal cysts)
Special tests:
Transilluminates with light (e.g., cystic hygroma – usually in young children)
● Auscultation for bruits or bowel sounds
ENT
- ear infections –> reactive lymphadenopathy
- nose –> h&n ca,
- throat - h&n ca,
Thyroid
Cranial nerves
Respiratory
- clubbing - lung ca
Abdo
- hepatosplenomegaly eg EBV, leukemia, lymphoma
- gastric ca
differentials neck lump and lymphadenopathy
Infectious
Reactive lymphadenopathy eg post-URTI
Skin infection such as abscess
Measles, mumps, rubella
Generalised lymphadenopathy (HIV, EBV, HSV, CMV)
Cat scratch disease
Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis
Specific risks (toxoplasmosis, lyme disease, cat scratch)
Immune
Amyloidosis
Sarcoidosis
Kawasaki
Malignant lymphadenopathy
Lymphoma
Leukaemia
Tumours
Head and neck cancer
Sarcoma
Salivary gland tumours/pathology
Metastasis - lung and gastric
Lipoma
Neural tumours
Vascular tumours such as hemangioma
Thyroid
Goitre
Congenital
Thyroglossal cyst
Cystic hygroma
Branchial cyst
Dermoid cyst
Degenerative
Pharyngeal pouch
Vascular
Carotid body tumour
Carotid aneurysm
Trauma
Haematoma
red flags for lump in neck ?
buffer
infectious ddx lump in neck
Reactive lymphadenopathy eg post-URTI
Skin infection such as abscess
Measles, mumps, rubella
Generalised lymphadenopathy (HIV, EBV, HSV, CMV)
Cat scratch disease
Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis
Specific risks (toxoplasmosis, lyme disease, cat scratch)
what is the most common cause of neck swellings?
Reactive lymphadenopathy
what local lesions of infection may you see on the neck
boils
carbuncle
abscess
pustule
boil vs carbuncle
Boil/furuncle: staphylococcal infection around or within a hair follicle.
Carbuncle: staphylococcal infection of adjacent hair follicles (i.e. multiple boils/furuncles).
pustule vs abscess
Abscess: a localised accumulation of pus.
Pustule: a pus-containing lesion less than 0.5cm in diameter.
most common causative organism boils/carbuncle/abscess
staph aureus
may be MRSA or PVL-SA
when should you take a swab of boils/carbuncles/abscess
Consider taking a swab of pus from the contents of the lesion if:
The boil or carbuncle is:
Not responding to treatment.
Persistent or recurrent, to exclude atypical mycobacteria or Panton-Valentine leukocidin Staphylococcus aureus (PVL-SA).
There are multiple lesions.
The person:
Is immunocompromised.
Is known to be colonized with MRSA.
Has diabetes.
Is a member of a household, or resides in an institutional setting, where recurrent outbreaks of skin and soft tissue infections have been reported (to exclude PVL-SA).
management boil/caruncle/abscess?
- urgent same-day incision and drainage if large
- admit for IV abx based on clinical judgement eg systemically unwell or on face or immunocompromised
if not req ref or admis
1. prescribe 7-day abx if fever, cellulitis, sev pain, co-morbidities, on face
+ advise apply moist heat tds to hasten drainage of pus and alleviate pain
+ once drained, cover with steruke dressing
+ safety net
abx
Flucloxacillin is recommended first line (erythromycin [preferred in pregnancy and breastfeeding] or clarithromycin are alternatives if the person has a true allergy to penicillin)
what is the most common site of s.aureus colonisation
nose
when might you consider staph aureus carriage and decolonisation?
what do you do to investigate?
recurrent boils/abscesses or infections caused by s.aureus
Take swabs from the contents of the boil or carbuncle.
If recurrent boils or carbuncles are localized to the facial area, swab the nasal cavity.
If the boils or carbuncles are more extensive, consider swabbing the perineum, groin, axillae, and umbilicus in addition to the nose.
process of s.aureus decolonization
Do not start decolonization until acute infection has resolved.
Eliminate nasal carriage by prescribing Naseptin® cream (chlorhexidine plus neomycin), four times a day for 10 days. Be aware that Naseptin® contains arachis oil (peanut oil) and should not be used by a person known to be allergic to peanuts or soya.
Use an antiseptic preparation (such as chlorhexidine 4% body wash/shampoo or Triclosan 2%) daily as liquid soap in the bath, shower, or sink for 5 days.
consider other options for sensitive skin/dermatological conditions
what infections should you specifically assess for in children with neck lump
measles
mumps
rubella
infectious mononucelosis
features measles
prodromal phase
irritable
conjunctivitis
fever
Koplik spots
typically develop before the rash
white spots (‘grain of salt’) on the buccal mucosa
rash
starts behind ears then to the whole body
discrete maculopapular rash becoming blotchy & confluent
desquamation that typically spares the palms and soles may occur after a week
diarrhoea occurs in around 10% of patients
what is measles?
RNA paramyxovirus
one of the most infectious known viruses
spread by aerosol transmission
infective from prodrome until 4 days after rash starts
incubation period = 10-14 days
invetsigations measles
IgM antibodies can be detected within a few days of rash onset
management of measles
mainly supportive
admission may be considered in immunosuppressed or pregnant patients
notifiable disease → inform public health
most common complication of measles
otitis media
most common cause of death following measles
pneumonia
complications measles
otitis media: the most common complication
pneumonia: the most common cause of death
encephalitis: typically occurs 1-2 weeks following the onset of the illness)
subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: very rare, may present 5-10 years following the illness
febrile convulsions
keratoconjunctivitis, corneal ulceration
diarrhoea
increased incidence of appendicitis
myocarditis
how should you manage a contact of measles who is unvaccinated against measles
give MMR within 72 hours