Impending Airway Compromise due to Cystic Hygroma

Abstract

We report on a 3-month-old infant, who arrived in the pediatric emergency department (ED) with a cervical cystic hygroma causing an impending compromise of the airway. We recognize that such a lesion can rapidly progress, and the judicious use of imaging in the ED may help to avoid airway compromise and possibly fatal complications. [West J Emerg Med. 2011;12(4):368–369.]

Keywords

• Cystic hygroma
• airway
• ultrasound
• tracheostomy