Acute calcific retropharyngeal tendinitis: a three-case series and a literature review

Abstract

Acute retropharyngeal tendinitis is a rare, self-limiting, benign condition that is poorly described in the literature. It is clinically characterized by neck pain and stiffness and either dysphagia or odynophagia. Diagnosis depends on clinical suspicion and imaging examination (computed tomography of the cervical spine is the gold standard), with calcification found in the anterior region of the first and second vertebrae. The disease usually presents good clinical course, with satisfactory response to the use of either non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids, with remission of symptoms in days to weeks and of the calcification process in weeks to months.