Clinical characteristics and treatment of acute epiglottitis: A retrospective study of 28 cases

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical profiles, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with acute epiglottitis at a tertiary care teaching hospital of eastern India. Methods: This is a retrospective study in which 28 patients of acute epiglottitis participated. This study was conducted between January 2016 and October 2019. The diagnosis of acute epiglottitis was based on the clinical presentations and fiberoptic laryngoscopic examinations of the larynx and hypopharynx. Details of age, gender, personal history, clinical symptoms, treatment, and hospital stay were evaluated. Results: Out of the 28 patients with acute epiglottitis, 17 (60.71%) were male and 11 (39.29%) were female with age ranged from 4 years to 62 years and a mean age of 23.45 years. The median duration from the onset to resorting to physicians is 3 d. Among the 28 patients, 4 patients (14.29%) were under the treatment for diabetes mellitus. Four cases (14.29%) required airway management with intubation and tracheostomy. Conclusions: Acute epiglottitis is an acute infectious condition of the supraglottis and may lead to airway obstruction. Clinical presentations alone are insufficient for the diagnosis of acute epiglottitis. Fiberoptic nasopharyngolaryngoscopic examination should be performed as soon as possible for confirmation of the disease.

Keywords

• acute epiglottitis; airway obstruction; supraglottis; odynophagia