What is it about?
Image study including x-ray and computed tomography (CT) is helpful in early diagnosis. Edematous change and gas bubble in epiglottis are typical of emphysematous epiglottitis. Besides, the CT evaluation is useful in airway diameter, the condition of epiglottic abscess and other extra-epiglottic complication.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Acute epiglottitis complicated with abscess is uncommon. Emphysematous epiglottitis is more rare and potentially life-threatening. Thus, early diagnosis is very important to reduce morbidity and mortality. This case shows typical clinical presentation and image, the clinician should be familiar with.
Perspectives
I hope this image is helpful to the clinician. Emphysematous epiglottitis sometimes takes surgical treatment or emergent intubation. Fortunately, this patient got better after administration of antibiotics. No intubation or surgical drainage was performed in the hospital course, propably due to early diagnosis and treatment.
Jung-Hsiu Hsu
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Emphysematous epiglottitis, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, February 2021, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/hmed.2020.0524.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
