Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
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J R Coll Surg Edinb · Oct 1992
Acute epiglottitis in adults: a potentially lethal cause of sore throat.
The diagnosis, management and outcome in 12 adults with acute epiglottitis was reviewed. Painful dysphagia was a universal symptom and respiratory distress affected eight patients, six of whom required urgent airway intervention. All patients received parenteral antibiotics, ten received steroids and four received adrenaline. ⋯ Indirect laryngoscopy is the investigation of choice and this is preferable to neck radiology. Two patients died and it is stressed that this condition must be distinguished from other more common causes of a severe sore throat. The patient should be managed in a unit with the facilities and expertise to effect acute airway intervention.