Neck abscess: An unusual clinical presentation of immunoglobulin G4 related disease

Abstract

Immunoglobulin G4 related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibroinflammatory disease that can affect almost any organ. Only a few cases of IgG4-RD have been reported to present with cervical lymphadenopathy and none with neck abscesses. We report a case in a patient with bilateral neck mass and bilateral neck abscesses. The patient underwent bilateral neck incision for drainage of the abscesses on two occasions, followed by a neck dissection after a third recurrence. Immunohistochemistry of the specimen revealed IgG4-RD. Although surgery is not the recommended firstline approach for IgG4-RD, only a neck dissection enabled clinical resolution of the lesions in our patient