Pediatr. praxi. 2020;21(6):396-399 | DOI: 10.36290/ped.2020.082

Epiglottitis acuta return

doc. MUDr. Ivan Novák, CSc.¹, MUDr. Martin Prchlík¹, MUDr. Martin Fajt¹, , MUDr. Pavel Heinige¹, MUDr. Vítězslav Dedek, CSc.²

¹ Klinika dětské chirurgie a traumatologie, III. LF UK a Thomayerovy nemocnice, Praha

² Dětské oddělení, Nemocnice Sokolov

Infectious diseases caused by Haemophilus influenzae b (hereinafter Hib) were the most common cause of death of children under 5 years of age from bacterial infections. Before the introduction of regular vaccination (from July 1, 2001), dozens of children died annually. Severe Hib infections have the character of purulent meningitis, which can be diagnosed and treated with the usual procedures. An insidious disease is acute epiglottitis, when Hib causes phlegmon of the epiglottis to threaten the child's life by suffocation. Epiglottitis acuta used to be unrecogned and was followed by mishandling of the child. The child should be in primary care and during transport in the arms of the mother. He moves until he finds the position in which he breathes best: upright torso, slight tilt, open mouth. A "violent" change in position, such as putting a mark, can trigger critical choking. After the introduction of regular vaccination against Hib, after ten years, serious diseases caused by Hib were almost eradicated. But since the vaccination rate of the child population has declined in recent years, insidious, deadly epiglottitis is reattaching. The authors try to recall how epiglottitis is diagnosed and properly treated, because there is one generation of pediatricians who have not seen it for near-perfect eradication. They should get acquainted with this disease especially when it comes to rescuers carrying out transport.

Keywords: Haemophilus influenzae b, invasive haemophilic infections, decrease in vaccination of the child population, epiglottitis acuta, asphyxiation.

Published: January 6, 2021  Show citation