Key clinical message: Pott's puffy tumor is a rare condition primarily occurring in the younger population. This report highlights the clinical suspicion and diagnosis of Pott's puffy tumor in those presenting with favorable presentations, especially adolescents.
Abstract: Pott's puffy tumor (PPT) is characterized as frontal bone subperiosteal abscess and osteomyelitis, a rare condition primarily occurring in adolescents following frontal sinusitis or head trauma. We present a case of atypical PPT in a 12-year-girl following an insect bite. The patient presented with painful forehead swelling for 4 weeks without any history of head trauma or signs of sinusitis. She had a history of a purulent pimple 2 months before presentation, following an insect bite. The primary diagnosis of PPT was made based on clinical and imaging findings. The patient was treated surgically and medically with intravenous antibiotics and had a satisfactory recovery upon the 6-month follow-up visit. This case highlights the differential diagnosis and thorough evaluation for PPT in a child with acute headache and forehead swelling, even without sinusitis symptoms.
Keywords: Pott's edematous tumor; Pott's puffy tumor; forehead swelling; osteomyelitis.
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