Acute epiglottitis complicated with pharyngeal abscess and recurrent acute airway obstruction in an adult

Abstract

Acute epiglottitis is a common condition in children but is a rare entity in adults. Both in children and adults this is a life threatening condition as it can lead to complete airway obstruction. It is therefore vital that this condition is kept in mind when patients, both children and adults are admitted with severe airway obstruction to the emergency room. A case of adult acute epiglottitis complicated with abscess formation is described where timely intervention and correct diagnosis with appropriate treatment saved the life of the patient.

Key words: Acute epiglottitis; Acute airway obstruction; Deep neck abscess  

DOI: 10.4038/slja.v19i1.2872

Sri Lankan Journal of Anaesthesiology Vol.19(1) 2011 pp.47-50