An Adolescent With a Retropharyngeal Swelling: To Drain or Not to Drain? Keeping a Broad Vision During the COVID-19 Pandemic

CASE PRESENTATION: An 18-year-old patient with a history of COVID-19 (1 month previously) was admitted with malaise and complaints of a stiff neck, a left-sided cervical mass, headache, and difficulty in swallowing and breathing, which had been present for 4 days. Two days after the onset of the first symptoms, a painless skin rash on the legs, arms, palms of both hands, and soles of both feet developed. Despite 2 days of treatment with antibiotics (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 500/125 mg three times daily orally), symptoms progressed. On presentation, the patient was alert and oriented, there were no neurologic disorders, and all symptoms related to the recent COVID-19 infection had subsided. His medical history was negative for sexually transmitted diseases, and the patient had received all vaccines except for meningococcus and COVID-19.