The swelling measured 8 x 5cm and extended to the root of his nose (Pic: The Sun/iStock)
An 8-year-old boy who suffered from severe headaches, along with a blocked nose, was rushed to the hospital when his forehead had a huge swelling. After detailed investigations, he was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition known as Pott’s puffy tumour—a side effect of sinusitis. Doctors said all three symptoms of sinusitis—an infection that usually clears up on its own within four weeks—had flared up. The swelling measured 8 x 5cm and extended to the root of his nose.
With the help of high doses of antibiotics, the doctors were able to subside the swelling, and the boy was discharged after three weeks of hospitalisation.
The details of the case, published in the journal Cures—talk about Pott's puffy tumour, named after Sir Percivall Pott, an English surgeon who first described it in 1760, is an uncommon condition in the UK.
"Although this condition can affect people of any age or gender, previous studies revealed that PPT in those above the age of 18 years is more common in the five to 17 age range, and they are more common in adolescents, with a median age of 11 years, favouring male patients, who account for 70 per cent of cases,” the authors wrote.
"In our case, the child was an eight-year-old boy. In the adolescent age, the flow rate of the diploic veins, which drain the frontal sinus, increases and favours the haematogenous spread of infections."
What is Pott’s puffy tumour?
According to experts, Pott’s puffy tumour describes an infection of your frontal bone—especially the forehead—along with an abscess that develops in the space between your eyeballs. It is usually a complication of sinus infections but can also happen after trauma to the area, like a head injury.
Those with Pott’s puffy tumour develop a noticeable lump on their foreheads. But despite the condition’s name, this swelling isn’t actually a tumour or cancer. It is a bone infection that results in a collection of infected fluid.
Without treatment, Pott’s puffy tumour can lead to life-threatening complications within your skull. This is a potentially fatal condition that requires immediate medical care.
Signs and symptoms of Pott’s puffy tumour
Apart from the forehead swelling, Pott’s puffy tumour symptoms include:
- High fever
- Headaches
- Sensitivity to light
- Nose drainage
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Extreme pain when pressing on the area which has swelling
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Proptosis or bulging eyes
- Tenderness around your frontal sinuses
What are the complications of Pott’s puffy tumour?
Doctors say if you leave it untreated, Pott’s puffy tumour can lead to complications like:
- Bleeding in your brain
- Cavernous sinus thrombosis
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Dural venous sinus thrombosis or blood clots in your brain’s major vessels
- Ischemia
- Meningitis
- Orbital cellulitis
- Sepsis
- Thrombosis
According to doctors, Pott’s puffy tumour can be fatal and so, it is important to seek medical care as soon as you realise something is not right.
