Acute obstructive epiglottitis in intensive care unit: which airway management strategy?

Acute epiglottitis is an infection of supraglottic structures, with a high risk of life-threatening respiratory obstruction. We report a case of a 52-year-old patient who presented with a prehospital hypoxic respiratory arrest caused by obstructive oedema with a successful resuscitation. Laryngoscop...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annales françaises d'anesthésie et de réanimation 2010-03, Vol.29 (3), p.247-250
Main Authors: Lilot, M, Petitjeans, F, Wey, P-F, Eve, O, Puidupin, M
Format: Article
Language:fre
Subjects:
Acute Disease
Airway Obstruction - etiology
Airway Obstruction - therapy
Critical Care
Dyspnea - etiology
Dyspnea - therapy
Edema - complications
Epiglottitis - therapy
Humans
Hypoxia - etiology
Hypoxia - therapy
Intensive Care Units
Laryngoscopy
Male
Middle Aged
Oxygen Inhalation Therapy
Respiration, Artificial
Respiratory Insufficiency - therapy
Resuscitation
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Description
Summary:Acute epiglottitis is an infection of supraglottic structures, with a high risk of life-threatening respiratory obstruction. We report a case of a 52-year-old patient who presented with a prehospital hypoxic respiratory arrest caused by obstructive oedema with a successful resuscitation. Laryngoscopy after a sudden unplanned extubation permits diagnosis of acute obstructive epiglottitis. The growing threat of laryngeal dyspnea prompts emergency tracheal airway protection, by means of the combined preparation of transtracheal oxygenation access and the use of fiber-optic laryngoscopy. This case report emphasises the airway management strategy successfully used in this patient.
ISSN:1769-6623
DOI:10.1016/j.annfar.2009.11.012