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Epiglottitis

Case contributed by Siobhan Lee
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

3 days of odynophagia, hot potato voice, and drooling. Visibly enlarged uvula on clinical examination. Tachycardic, diaphoretic, WCC 16, CRP 260.

Patient Data

Age: 40 years
Gender: Male

Lateral airway

x-ray

Enlarged (thumb print) epiglottis, which is narrowing without occluding the glottis. Mucosal swelling around arytenoid cartilage. Enlarged uvula, descending into the inferior oropharynx.

Case Discussion

The patient was urgently taken to theater for laryngoscopy, which showed moderate uvula swelling, mild epiglottis edema and severe swelling of arytenoid mucosa and mild vocal cord edema. He was intubated and managed in ICU with antibiotics and steroids, with successful extubation 2 days later.

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