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Published on: March 8, 2019
Upper airway obstruction and hemoptysis due to a leech infestation in a child
G Draiss1, K Razzouki1, Y Mouaffak2
1Pediatric Department A, Mother and Child Hospital, Mohammed VI Teaching Hospital, Cadi Ayyad University, Medical School of Marrakesh, Marrakesh, Morocco.
Insights
A child
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Otolaryngology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Hemoptysis in children can stem from various causes.
- Laryngeal foreign bodies are uncommon but serious causes of respiratory symptoms.
Abstract:
This paper presents the case of a 12-year-old child who presented with an 8-day history of cough, respiratory distress, and hemoptysis. He was admitted first to the pediatric intensive care unit to reestablish hemodynamic and respiratory stability. The chest X-ray showed a bilateral alveolar-interstitial syndrome. Four hours after admission, he had a coughing fit, moderately abundant hemoptysis, and a leech appeared in his mouth, which was removed by the mother. Symptoms completely disappeared afterwards. Endoscopy and ear-throat-laryngeal examination done thereafter were normal. The presence of a leech in the larynx has been rarely described in children, but is not a rare cause of hemoptysis. Extraction is imperative and should be performed as soon as the diagnosis is made to avoid a fatal progression. Prevention remains the best treatment.
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