A Case of Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) with Recurrent Laryngeal Edema and a Total of Three Tracheostomies over a Short Period of Time

Abstract

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant disorder that causes sudden onset of edema in various parts of the body, including the face, extremities, and gastrointestinal tract. HAE is a chronic, recurrent disorder that causes swelling of the limbs, severe abdominal pain, and facial edema, especially edema of the upper respiratory tract, and can be fatal. HAE is not well recognized, but it is an extremely urgent disease. In this report, we describe a case of severe HAE in a 20-year-old man who had three episodes of laryngeal edema over a short period of time and underwent a total of three tracheotomies. We report this case with some discussion of the literature and with the aim of educating the public.