Treatment for Intramuscular Abscesses of Posterior Neck Muscles after a Trigger Point Injection: A Case Report

Abstract

Trigger point injections (TPI) are commonly utilized therapeutic interventions for alleviating myofascial pain. Despite their effectiveness, TPIs can lead to complications such as abscess formation due to infection, which occasionally requires surgical intervention. In this report, we present the case of an 18-year-old man who developed abscesses in the splenius capitis (SC) and levator scapulae (LS) muscles following TPI treatment for left posterior neck pain. Given the proximity of the posterior neck muscles to critical structures, several considerations arise when draining such abscesses. We report our experience with surgically draining abscesses of the SC and LS muscles induced by TPIs and provide a literature review focusing on anatomical considerations in the surgical drainage of such abscesses.