Abstract
BackgroundSubglottic stenosis is a known complication of traumatic and prolonged endotracheal intubation. It is rare that the causes of severe subglottic stenosis are revealed to be an unexpected foreign body after airway securement in a child. Subglottic stenosis in a child is often associated with airway emergency, and management of difficult airway may be required.Case presentationWe report the case of an 8-year-old girl with severe subglottic stenosis who required emergency tracheostomy. Emergency tracheostomy was performed under regional anesthesia. Sevoflurane was administered with sufficient titration to maintain spontaneous breathing. At first, the cause of severe subglottic stenosis was thought to be a traumatic event that had occurred 1 month previously; however, subsequent laryngoscopy revealed that the cause of subglottic stenosis was a foreign body.ConclusionsManagement of the airway in a child with severe subglottic stenosis should be selected according to each patient’s individual circumstances.
Highlights
Subglottic stenosis is a known complication of traumatic and prolonged endotracheal intubation
The most common cause of acquired subglottic stenosis is trauma, which can be internal or external [1]. It is rare for severe subglottic stenosis to be caused by an unexpected foreign body after airway securement following an external traumatic event in a child
On admission, computed tomography (CT) of the neck showed that severe subglottic stenosis has developed with minimal cross-sectional diameters of 3.5 × 1.8 mm at the narrowest point (0.05 cm2) (Fig. 1)
Summary
The most common cause of acquired subglottic stenosis is trauma, which can be internal (prolonged endotracheal intubation, tracheostomy, flame burn injury) or external (blunt or penetrating neck trauma) [1] It is rare for severe subglottic stenosis to be caused by an unexpected foreign body after airway securement following an external traumatic event in a child. On admission, computed tomography (CT) of the neck showed that severe subglottic stenosis has developed with minimal cross-sectional diameters of 3.5 × 1.8 mm at the narrowest point (0.05 cm2) (Fig. 1). On POD 7, a laryngoscope under general anesthesia revealed severe edema at the subglottic stenosis (Fig. 2). At five months after surgery, a laryngoscope was again inserted under general anesthesia, revealing large granulomas surrounding an object in the subglottic wall This object turned out to be a circular plastic foreign body (cross-sectional diameter of 1.2 × 1.0 cm) (Fig. 3). She was discharged from our hospital and placed under home care after removal surgery
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
