Approaching the airway in prehospital emergency is a common and potentially life-saving practice

Abstract

Management by the environment is complex, which means a much higher percentage of difficult airways than in a regulated environment such as the operating room. Failure or prolonged attempt to tracheal intubation is associated with unfavorable outcomes and serious complications. Acute epiglottitis is a life-threatening disorder, classified as a medical emergency within the diseases of the upper respiratory airway and characterized by its sudden and deadly evolution if rapid intubation is not achieved to allow oxygenation of the patient. We describe a 36-year-old male patient with stridor, dyspnea e hypoxemia due to total obstruction of airway, caused by an acute epiglottitis. We aim to highlight this unusual injury and its management from the prehospital until discharge illustrating the severity of the clinical presentation, current treatment and outcome.

Keywords: Acute epiglottitis; Difficult airway; Epiglotitis aguda; Prehospital emergency; Urgencia prehospitalaria; Videolaryngoscope; Vía aérea difícil; Vídeolaringoscopio.