double thyroglossal duct cyst derived from a single tract: a rare presentation

introduction: the advent of antibiotics and the improvement in dental hygiene have made the occurrence of deep neck infections less frequent than in the past. nevertheless, the complications of these infections are often life threatening. the purpose of this study was to review the clinical findings in deep neck infections and identification predisposing factors of these complications. materials and methods: in this study, 147 patients with deep neck infections were studied in imam khomeini hospital, ahvaz, from 1997 to 2009. during the treatment, 24 cases of life threatening complications took place. linear and logistic regressions and chi-square analysis were used to determine the association of the complications of deep neck infections with clinical parameters and longer hospitalization. results: analysis showed that patients with older age, patients with involvement of more than two spaces, involvement of cervical spaces, lymphadenitis, septic sore throat, congenital cyst as a source of abscess, odynophagia, dysphagia  are those  who require longer hospitalization (p<0.05). complications are more likely to take place in patients with involvement of more than two spaces, involvement of cervical spaces, septic sore throat and odynophagia (p<0.05). conclusion: patients with involvement of more than two spaces or with underlying diseaseareathigh-risk of deep neck infection complications and should be monitored more closely during hospitalization.