Professional Documents
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Medical Management of Epiglottitis: Regçna A. E. Dowdy, DDS, and Bryant W. Cornelçus, DDS, MBA, MPH
Medical Management of Epiglottitis: Regçna A. E. Dowdy, DDS, and Bryant W. Cornelçus, DDS, MBA, MPH
Epiglottitis is most commonly caused by bacterial infection resulting in inflammation and edema of the epiglottis and
neighboring supraglottic structures. Acute infection was once found predominantly in children ages 2 to 6 years old,
but with the introduction of the Haemophilus influenzae B (HiB) vaccine the incidence of cases in adults is increasing.
Typical clinical presentation of epiglottitis includes fever and sore throat. Evidence of impending airway obstruction
may be demonstrated by muffled voice, drooling, tripod position, and stridor. Radiographs can be helpful in diagnosing
epiglottitis; however, they should not supersede or postpone securing the airway. An airway specialist such as an
otolaryngologist, anesthesiologist, or intensivist should ideally evaluate the patient immediately to give ample time for
preparing to secure the airway if necessary. All patients with epiglottitis should be admitted to the intensive care unit
for close monitoring.
suggestive of labored breathing, stridor, or respiratory epiglottis was noted upon visualization of the airway
distress at the time of initial presentation. anatomy. A ‘‘minimal airway’’ was noted, and the
The ED course included a computed tomography larynx was unable to be visualized due to the substantial
(CT) scan of her head and neck to evaluate for a deep edema. The mass or lesion, which was previously noted
space infection as the patient was adamant that she was on the CT scan, clinically measured 1.6 3 1.4 cm. The
unable to tolerate swallowing anything, including her diagnosis of epiglottitis was subsequently made by the
own saliva. The official read of the CT included the ENT attending; however, epiglottic surface cultures
following statement, ‘‘a lesion protruding out into the were not taken due to the urgency of the situation.
hypopharynx and piriform sinus region on the left side. Immediately following the clinical assessment and
There are small air bubbles nearby. Theoretically this diagnosis, the patient was taken to the operating room
could be related to infection. Might be related to an where an emergent awake tracheostomy was performed
infected diverticulum. It is not a classic tumor but is under local anesthesia without complications. She
certainly possible’’ (Figure 1). A rapid streptococcus returned to the ICU for close postoperative monitoring
test was run to assess for streptococcal pharyngitis but where she remained on supplemental O 2 overnight. IV
was negative. A complete blood count was drawn dexamethasone 4 mg every 8 hours and IV ceftriaxone 2
producing results all within normal ranges. g daily were started.
The decision was made to admit the patient at The patient was monitored in the ICU for 48 hours
roughly 9:00 PM for observation and to obtain an ear, after the tracheostomy during which time she remained
nose, and throat (ENT) consult as she was symptom- afebrile. A repeat CT scan was obtained, which
atic and unwilling to be discharged at that time. confirmed correct placement of the tracheostomy and
Overnight, she continued to deteriorate with continued found extensive upper lung opacification, indicative of
complaints of difficulty swallowing and increasing new-onset pneumonia (Figure 2). Thickening of the
pain. At 4:50 AM it was noted that the patient’s hypopharyngeal soft tissues was present bilaterally but
peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) had dropped to noted to be more prominent on the left, measuring 11
88% on room air; supplemental oxygen was adminis- mm, which was less prominent than noted on the prior
tered via nasal cannula at a rate of 2 l/min producing a CT scan. The epiglottis at 4 mm was noted to be thicker
modest improvement of the patient’s SpO2 to 94%. than on the initial scan, which was 2 mm, both measured
At 7:50 AM a resident from the admitting medicine in the antero-posterior view. The patient’s symptoms,
team examined the patient at bedside during pre-rounds. such as difficulty and pain with swallowing, started to
Of note, the patient was able to walk around with mild resolve, and the patient was evaluated by the speech and
work of breathing. However, upper airway stridor was language pathologist for swallowing and placement of a
noted when in close proximity to the patient, which had Passy-Muir speaking valve to facilitate speech. Repeat
not been noted in any previous examinations. flexible nasolaryngoscopy was performed on postoper-
At 9:45 AM the entirety of the medicine team rounded ative day 5 and revealed resolving edema and erythema
on the patient, and it became apparent that the patient of the epiglottis, which was anatomically within normal
was now experiencing significant respiratory distress. limits, as well as a resolving exudate present overlying
She was no longer able to speak above a whisper and the arytenoids. It was also noted that there was paralysis
unable to open her mouth more than 1 cm due to severe of the left true vocal cord in the paramedian position
pain. However, there was still no appreciable edema with a good airway, meaning cord paralysis did not
noted at this time. Stridor was audible when entering the occur in the adductor position, and partial approxima-
room, and the patient was seated in the tripod position tion of the cords. No signs of soft tissue obstruction
with increased work of breathing and shortness of were noted. Three days later, the tracheostomy was
breath. The decision was made to administer intrave- subsequently capped and planned for decannulation.
nous (IV) methylprednisolone 125 mg and nebulized The patient was discharged 2 days later with a
racemic epinephrine. An ICU attending was called to prescription of ceftriaxone to complete her 10-day
the patient’s room where he immediately advocated the course as well as a dexamethasone taper and a plan to
patient be transferred to the ICU. The ICU attending decannulate after the completion of her antibiotic
noted that the airway was unsafe to attempt intubation treatment.
and that an emergent tracheostomy was needed. The
ENT attending was notified immediately.
When the ENT team arrived in the ICU, an EPIDEMIOLOGY
examination of the airway was performed via awake
flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy using topical/local Epiglottitis is defined as inflammation of the epiglottic
anesthesia only. Severe edema and erythema of the or adjacent supraglottic structures including the hypo-
Figure 1. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck with contrast at time of admission. (A) Sagittal cut reveals a mass in the
hypopharynx and piriform sinuses; note the limited airway space. (B) Axial cut at the level of the hyoid bone reveals a mass that is
1.4 3 0.5 cm in size. (C) Coronal cut revealing the mass intruding upon the midline of the larynx.
Figure 2. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck with contrast 2 days after placement of the tracheostomy. (A) Sagittal cut
reveals a mass in the hypopharynx and piriform sinuses; note the limited airway space. (B) Axial cut at the level of the hyoid bone
reveals a mass that is 1.4 3 0.5 cm in size.
pharynx. If left untreated, the progression of epiglottitis misdiagnosis as commonly noted with adult cases.
and the resulting edema can be devastating leading to Failure to intervene prior to loss of the airway carries
complete or partial airway obstruction. While there are a six-fold increase in mortality.1 Increased risk of
several causes of epiglottitis, the most common is mortality from epiglottitis include advanced age and
bacterial infection. In the pediatric population, this male sex.9 Other bacterial causes of epiglottitis include
bacterial infection is typically seen in children ages 2 to Streptococcus pneumonia, Streptococcus pyogenes,
6 years old; incidence of epiglottitis in children due to Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus viridans, and
bacterial infection has decreased by as much as 90% Neisseria meningitides.6 Surface cultures of the
since the introduction of the HiB vaccine.1–4 By epiglottis and supra glottic structures are typically
comparison, the annual incidence epiglottitis due to negative, and blood cultures are not completely sensitive
bacterial infection in adults is approximately 1 to 4 in for identify- ing pathogens, especially when antibiotics
100,000, which is 2.5 times the incidence in children. 5–7 have already been administered.6
The male to female ratio of infection ranges from 1.2 to
4.9 : 1. Thirty-five to fifty percent of cases of adult
epiglottitis cases initially go misdiagnosed. 5 In the case CLINICAL PRESENTATION
presented here, for example, the initial thought was that
the patient had strep throat, and rapid step test was When a patient presents with anxiety, sore throat,
negative. In adults, concomitant chronic diseases such as dysphagia, muffled voice, respiratory distress, stridor, or
hypertension and chronic obstructive respiratory dis- posturing in the tripod position, there should be high
eases increase the risk for epiglottitis, and cigarette suspicion for an upper airway infection and attempts
smokers are more commonly afflicted.5,7 Mortality is should be made to secure the airway prior to obtaining
estimated at 4 to 7% in adults and 2 to 3% in children any sort of invasive clinical (ie, laryngoscopy) or
for all cases of epiglottitis.8 The higher degree of radiographic diagnostic evaluation.1,9 The tripod posi-
mortality for adults is likely primarily related to initial tion is demonstrated when the patient is sitting upright
with their neck extended, using the arms to support their some authors advocate for early prophylactic intubation
trunk, and maximal jaw thrust effort in an attempt to in all cases, whereas others believe that a more
open the airway. Epiglottitis is typically seen more conservative approach can be taken in adults due to
acutely in young children with symptoms occurring less the larger diameter of the adult larynx.10
than 24 hours before admission when compared with Although obtaining radiographic studies upon ad-
adolescents and adults who tend to present 1 to 2 days mission is not always advisable due to the rapid
after the onset of symptoms.10,11 Adults are more likely progression of epiglottitis, such studies can be helpful
to present with sore throat, dysphagia, and odynophagia in diagnosing for patients who are otherwise clinically
(painful swallowing that occurs in nearly 100% of stable. A single, lateral, upright view of the neck in
cases).5–8 The difference in obstructive incidence is extension can help diagnose epiglottitis when the
likely due to the anatomical structures of the adult, diagnosis is not established upon physical examinations.
which are more rigid and less likely to gravitationally Lateral neck radiographs are most useful in facilities
and mechanically obstruct the glottic opening. 5 where CT imaging and flexible bronchoscopy are not
Dispropor- tional severity of the sore throat symptoms readily available.7,15 CT scans or magnetic resonance
combined with the physical findings of the imaging are helpful in evaluating for complications such
oropharyngeal exam- ination are an additional indicators as the spread of infection or abscess formation, although
suggestive of epiglottitis. Stridor is generally a late sign a magnetic resonance imaging can take a considerable
and indicates that the airway is partially obstructed.2,12 amount of time and may take away from time that could
Complications can occur other than impending be used to secure the airway.7 Care should be taken in
airway obstruction. In such a scenario it is possible to patient positioning as manipulation of the neck or
have complications caused by treatment such as allergic inflicting discomfort can lead to further airway obstruc-
reaction to medications. An additional complication of tion. In a healthy patient, the lateral plain radiograph of
epiglottitis is the formation of an epiglottic abscess, the neck will reveal the epiglottis as a thin, curved soft
which increases mortality to 30%.5 tissue opacity separated from the tongue by the
vallecula, which is represented as radiolucency. 15 In a
patient with epiglottitis, the epiglottis is often noted to
DIAGNOSIS be quite edematous similar in appearance to a thumb-
print (Figure 3A).1,15 Other radiographic findings may
Deterioration can occur rapidly and quite unexpectedly; include thickening of the aryepiglottic folds, preverte-
therefore, early involvement of airway specialists is bral soft tissue swelling, and expansion of the hypo-
imperative. Specialists that warrant consideration for pharynx. Sensitivity and specificity of radiography of
consultation can include: otolaryngologists (ENT), epiglottitis in adults varies from 38 to 98%.7,8 In
anesthesiologists, or intensivists. Although their approximately 25% of adult cases, a chest radiograph
involve- ment may ultimately prove to be unnecessary, will reveal a concurrent pneumonia.16
early consultation may provide sufficient time for
securing the airway under more ideal clinical
conditions.13 Definitive diagnosis can be made during TREATMENT
nasolaryngoscopy, typically utilizing a flexible
fiberoptic scope, performed in the emergency room for a Antimicrobial therapy is preferably based upon results
compliant patient, but should be delayed for a child until from blood and epiglottic cultures when possible. The
general anesthesia has been attained as the added stress most commonly encountered bacterial organisms are
of the procedure could increase the risk of airway loss.14 HiB, Streptococcus pneumonia, Group A Streptococcus,
If a cherry red edematous epiglottis is visualized during and Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin-resis-
the nasolar- yngoscopy, a diagnosis of epiglottitis can be tant S aureus strains.11,13,17 Empiric combination
made. Immediate steps should be taken to secure the antibiotic therapy with a third-generation cephalosporin
patient’s airway either by intubation or placement of a and an antistaphylococcal agent is usually recommend-
tracheos- tomy.12 If intubation is deemed necessary, ed.11,14 Vancomycin is the antistaphylococcal agent of
pressing down on the patient’s chest may allow for an choice in patients with epiglottitis complicated by
air bubble to form in the glottic opening, which may aid sepsis, those with concomitant meningitis, or those from
in the placement of the endotracheal tube. Prophylactic areas with an increased prevalence of clindamycin-
intubation should be strongly considered in all pediatric resistant methicillin-resistant S aureus.13 Patients with a
patients found to have epiglottitis for airway protection penicillin allergy should be treated with vancomycin and
as the clinical progression can be unpredictable and has a quinolone antibiotic agent. Antibiotics should be
the potential to evolve quickly.7,12 In adult patients, altered as culture sensitivities are identified by lab and
adjusted
Figure 3. Classic radiographic findings. (A) Lateral radiograph of the neck revealing ‘‘thumb sign’’ appearance of epiglottitis. (B)
Anteroposterior radiograph of the neck revealing ‘‘steeple sign’’ seen in croup.
to ensure completion of a 10-day course. Routine dose of 4 mg every 6 hours along with close observation
vaccination for HiB is not recommended in adults. of the airway.3 Other steroids, such as IV methylpred-
However, older children or adults at an elevated risk of nisolone 125 mg, can also be considered for adminis-
contracting an HiB infection includes those with a
tration in adults.9 Steroids should be tapered as the signs
history of functional or anatomic asplenia, immunode-
and symptoms resolve. Administration of epinephrine,
ficiency, immunosuppression from cancer chemothera-
racemic, or subcutaneous may help to improve upper
py, infection with HIV, and receipt of a hematopoietic
stem cell transplant.5 For high-risk patients who are also airway edema.1
previously unvaccinated, the administration of at least 1 Patients should be monitored in the ICU regardless of
pediatric dose of an HiB conjugate vaccine should be the placement of an airway, such as their natural airway,
considered. intubation, or tracheostomy, so they can be monitored
There are a variety of adjuvant therapies available more closely for airway deterioration.19 Ideally, daily
that can be utilized on a case-by-case basis. Adminis- examination of the supraglottic structures should be
tration of supplemental humidified oxygen along with performed with fiberoptic nasolaryngoscopy to assess
IV hydration can help to limit the risk of sudden airway the patient’s response to therapy and evaluate for any
obstruction.9 Glucocorticoids are not universally rec- complications such as epiglottic abscesses. For patients
ommended for initial treatment because evidence of a in whom the airway has been secured, care must be
clear benefit, such as reduced length of stay or shorter taken to avoid dislodgement of the endotracheal tube or
duration of intubation in the ICU, is lacking. Some tracheostomy, as reintubation may not be feasible
studies have indicated when steroids are given that leading to significant morbidity or mortality depending
hospital stays are typically longer; however, that upon the severity of the clinical situation. The patient
correlation may be complicated by the fact that steroids may require additional respiratory care and periodic
are more likely to be given in more extreme or severe suctioning to maintain airway patency. Extubation
cases.18 If corticosteroids are to be used, the recom-
criteria include resolution of the patient’s fever, odyno-
mended course of treatment in adults is IV dexameth-
phagia/dysphagia symptoms, and airway edema as
asone 4 to 10 mg as an initial bolus with a repeated IV
assessed by nasolaryngoscopy or a positive cuff leak
test. Edema typically improves within 2 to 3 days of humidified air is the most commonly used treatment.
initiating antimicrobial treatment.2 Racemic epinephrine, a 1 : 1 mixture of levo- and
dextro-isomers of epinephrine, can be administered via
nebulizer with 0.5 mL of the 2.25% solution further
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES diluted in 3 mL of normal saline, and clinical
improvement can be expected in 10 to 30 minutes.20
Stridor is a high-pitched wheezing sound that results The administration of steroids for croup is controver-
from disrupted airflow, a key sign of partial airway sial; however, recent studies have demonstrated that a
obstruction that can be associated with several different single dose of 0.6 mg/kg dexamethasone orally, intra-
disease states. Stridor itself is caused by restrictions to muscularly, or intravenously helps to decrease length of
airflow most commonly resulting from inflammation in hospital stay.20
the tissues surrounding the airway. In a healthy patient,
airflow in the upper respiratory tract approximates
laminar flow. In said patient, the moving column of air
will create a slightly negative pressure on the wall of the Tracheitis
airway.20 But narrowing of the airway, often due to
inflammation from infection or trauma, can cause an Tracheitis is a bacterial infection that typically occurs as
increase in airway resistance and turbulent air flow a complication of viral croup. The causative organisms
along the narrowed segment, as described by the Venturi are Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae,
effect. According to the Bernoulli principle, as the flow alpha hemolytic Streptococcus, and group A Strepto-
velocity increases, there is an increase in intraluminal coccus.20 Clinical presentation stereotypically includes a
negative pressure at the already narrowed lumen site, history of an upper respiratory illness, typically viral,
which promotes further collapse of the airway. 20 The present for several days with symptoms similar to croup,
increase in turbulent flow is demonstrated clinically as followed by a rapid development of a high fever,
stridor. Stridor can be evident during the different stages respiratory distress, and overall ill appearance.20
of respiration. Stridor during inspiration can be Odynophagia and drooling are absent, in contrast to
attributed to supraglottic swelling due to collapse of epiglottitis. Lateral radiographs may show the tracheal
unsupported soft tissues when negative pressure is air column as hazy, not radiolucent, with plaque-like
generated during inspiration.20 Biphasic stridor is irregularities projecting into the lumen or a poorly
characteristic of a fixed obstruction at the level of the defined tracheal wall. Peak incidence of tracheitis occurs
cricoid. If a narrowing occurs at the intrathoracic in the fall and winter and primarily afflicts children age
trachea or bronchiole level, an expiratory stridor will 6 months to 8 years old.
likely develop due to the increased intrathoracic
pressure generated during exhalation, which contributes
to narrowing of the distal airways.20 Epiglottitis Due to Other Causes