Bacterial epiglottitis
00:00 / 00:00
Videos
Notes
Bacterial epiglottitis
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
Assessments
Bacterial epiglottitis
Flashcards
0 / 4 complete
USMLE® Step 1 questions
0 / 2 complete
High Yield Notes
10 pages
Flashcards
Bacterial epiglottitis
of complete
Questions
USMLE® Step 1 style questions USMLE
of complete
Memory Anchors and Partner Content
External References
First Aid
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
Epiglottitis
Haemophilus influenzae p. , 140
labs/findings p. 720
unvaccinated children p. 183
Fever
epiglottitis p. 183
External Links
Transcript
Content Reviewers
With Epiglottitis, “itis” means inflammation and epiglottis is a flap of elastic cartilage that sits at the top of the larynx or voice box. The epiglottis keeps food and liquid going down the esophagus and prevents it from going down the trachea by accident. So bacterial epiglottitis is when bacteria infect this flap of tissue and cause it to get swollen. This can be life threatening because it can flop down and block the trachea, making it impossible to breathe. This infection is actually thought to have been the cause of death for George Washington, America’s first president.
Now, the larynx is located in the bottom portion of the neck, just below where the pharynx splits into the trachea and the esophagus. The larynx is also called the voice box because it contains the vocal cords, which are two folds of mucous membrane that can open and close like curtains. Just like the rest of the respiratory tract, the walls of the larynx are made up of mucosal epithelium.
The epiglottis extends from the base of the tongue and anchors to the anterior rim of the thyroid cartilage, which is just in front of the larynx. The lateral borders of the epiglottis connect to the aryepiglottic folds, which have ligamentous and muscular fibers. This allows the epiglottis to act like a lid on a box and serve as the guardian of the airways. During swallowing, the epiglottis covers the larynx, preventing food and liquids from entering the airway; and during breathing, the epiglottis opens the larynx, allowing air to flow in and out.
Summary
Bacterial epiglottitis is a rare, vaccine-preventable, life-threatening form of epiglottitis caused by bacteria, usually, Haemophilus influenzae type B. Symptoms typically include fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty in breathing in case the airway becomes obstructed by the inflamed epiglottis. The epiglottis is a flap of cartilage at the back of the throat that helps to keep food from entering the airways. In bacterial epiglottitis, the epiglottis becomes infected and swells, blocking the airway.
Sources
- "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Twentieth Edition (Vol.1 & Vol.2)" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine 8E" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2020" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2019)
- "Anatomy and Physiology of Feeding and Swallowing: Normal and Abnormal" Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America (2008)
- "Acute epiglottitis in the era of post-Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) vaccine" Journal of Anesthesia (2012)
For Institutions
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier, its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
Cookies are used by this site.
USMLE® is a joint program of the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). COMLEX-USA® is a registered trademark of The National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, Inc. NCLEX-RN® is a registered trademark of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. Test names and other trademarks are the property of the respective trademark holders. None of the trademark holders are endorsed by nor affiliated with Osmosis or this website.
