ear, nose, and throat disorders
How To Drain a Peritonsillar Abscess
Warnings and Common Errors for Draining a Peritonsillar Abscess
Oversedating the patient and risking aspiration Injecting anesthetic directly into the abscess cavity (because this is painful) Inserting the needle or scalpel blade too deeply (because this risks penetrating the carotid artery); if pus is not obtained at 1-cm depth, do not go deeper. For needle aspiration, not ensuring that the needle is inserted in the sagittal plane (anterior to posterior). Do not insert the needle to the side (laterally) in the direction of the carotid artery. 