Acute epiglottitis in childhood

Abstract

Ten cases of Epiglottitis were diagnosed in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit over a four year period. We find the incidence to be low, 0,62% of adrnissions, and the morbi-mortality to be very high if diagnosis and treatment are late. Fever and respiratory distress appeared in every case, disfagia and disphonia in 50% of them. Two essential aspects of care are reviewed: 1. Direct laringoscopy, under general inhalatory anestesia to ascertain diagnosis and perfom naso-traqueal intubation. 2. Specific antimicrobial therapy against type B H. Influenzae, the usual aetiologic agent. The outcome was good in all but one case, in which cardiac arrest with cerebral Hypoxia occurred prior to admission in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. KEY WORDSE: PIGLO~TISU. PPERA IRWAYO BSTRUCTIORNE.S PIRATORY