Abstract
We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all those admitted and diagnosed with acute epiglottitis from 2006 to 2009. Of these 43—26 men and 17 women—9 underwent tracheotomy. Epiglottal and arytenoidal swelling severity were classified based on the classification of Katori et al. Focusing on epiglottal swelling seen under flexible laryngoscopy, we divided subject types into abscess and edema, and studied how these classifications and tracheotomy indications were related. The percentage of tracheotomy was 42.9% for severe epiglottal swelling, 7.7% for moderate swelling and 12.5% for mild swelling. Tracheostomy was also done in 36.8% with arytenoidal swelling and 8.3% with non arytenoidal swelling, 36.8% with epiglottic abscess and 8.3% without abscess. Epiglottal abscess formation was thus a risk factor strongly associated with airway intervention as well as severe epiglottal and arytenoidal swelling.
