The infection typically occurs following oral surgery, oral trauma, and in patients with poor dental hygiene. Cervicofacial actinomycosis is characterized in the initial stages by soft-tissue swelling of the perimandibular area. Direct spread into the adjacent tissues occurs over time, along with development of fistulas (sinus tracts) that discharge purulent material containing granules with a yellow sulfurlike appearance termed sulfur granules. Invasion of the cranium or the bloodstream may occur if the disease is left untreated. Once in the tissue, the bacteria causes an abscess, producing a hard, red to reddish-purple lump, often on the jaw, from which comes the condition's common name, "lumpy jaw.” Eventually, the abscess breaks through the skin surface to produce a draining sinus tract (Vyas, 2013). The following case study identifies the unique diagnostic criteria and treatment of a patient presenting with the signs and symptoms of Cervicofacial
The infection typically occurs following oral surgery, oral trauma, and in patients with poor dental hygiene. Cervicofacial actinomycosis is characterized in the initial stages by soft-tissue swelling of the perimandibular area. Direct spread into the adjacent tissues occurs over time, along with development of fistulas (sinus tracts) that discharge purulent material containing granules with a yellow sulfurlike appearance termed sulfur granules. Invasion of the cranium or the bloodstream may occur if the disease is left untreated. Once in the tissue, the bacteria causes an abscess, producing a hard, red to reddish-purple lump, often on the jaw, from which comes the condition's common name, "lumpy jaw.” Eventually, the abscess breaks through the skin surface to produce a draining sinus tract (Vyas, 2013). The following case study identifies the unique diagnostic criteria and treatment of a patient presenting with the signs and symptoms of Cervicofacial