Deep neck infections caused by foreign bodies: Literature review

Hiroki Kimura; Eiji Iwata; Joe Iwanaga; Chizuru Kobayashi; Yuki Kunisada; Norie Yoshioka; Akira Tachibana; Masaya Akashi; Soichiro Ibaragi

doi:10.1016/j.jormas.2025.102669

Deep neck infections caused by foreign bodies: Literature review

J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2025 Nov 27;127(3):102669. doi: 10.1016/j.jormas.2025.102669. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hiroki Kimura¹, Eiji Iwata², Joe Iwanaga³, Chizuru Kobayashi¹, Yuki Kunisada¹, Norie Yoshioka¹, Akira Tachibana⁴, Masaya Akashi⁵, Soichiro Ibaragi¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
² Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kitaku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. Electronic address: eiwata@okayama-u.ac.jp.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
⁴ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kakogawa Central City Hospital, Kakogawa, Japan.
⁵ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.

PMID: 41318065
DOI: 10.1016/j.jormas.2025.102669

Abstract

Background: Deep neck infections (DNIs) are potentially life-threatening diseases that are mainly caused by odontogenic and peritonsillar infections. Although DNI has also been reported to be caused by foreign bodies, no review articles exist to date.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed for articles published between 2005 and 2025.

Results: A total of 131 relevant articles were identified. Frequently reported foreign bodies included injectable materials used in facial filler and fish bone. The latency to symptom onset varied widely, ranging from within 1 h after foreign body insertion to as long as 25 years, with substantial differences observed depending on the type of foreign body.

Conclusion: Although foreign bodies are rare causes of DNIs, various type of foreign bodies have been reported. Recognizing the possibilities of DNIs caused by foreign bodies will help oral and maxillofacial surgeons to search for the cause rapidly and determine treatment plans and prevent recurrence.

Keywords: Deep neck infections; Facial filler; Fish bone; Foreign bodies.