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Published on: January 17, 2011
Management of airway obstruction and stridor in pediatric patients
Ashley Marchese1, Melissa L. Langhan2
1Department of Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT
Insights
Stridor, a sound from upper airway obstruction, can stem from various causes in children, including infections and congenital issues. Prompt evaluation and management are crucial for effective treatment in emergency settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Otolaryngology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Stridor results from turbulent airflow through the trachea due to upper airway obstruction.
- While common in children due to croup, stridor can also indicate noninfectious, congenital, or life-threatening conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss common and life-threatening etiologies of acute and chronic stridor.
- To outline stridor management strategies in the emergency department.
Main Methods:
- Review of stridor etiologies.
- Discussion of diagnostic approaches including history and physical examination.
- Outline of emergency management principles.
Main Results:
- History and physical examination are key to initial stridor management.
- Management strategies include reducing airway inflammation, treating infections, and considering imaging or surgical intervention.
- The issue covers a spectrum of stridor causes and emergency treatments.
Conclusions:
- Effective stridor management relies on accurate diagnosis of its underlying cause.
- Prompt intervention is essential, especially for life-threatening etiologies presenting in the emergency department.
Abstract:
Stridor is a result of turbulent air-flow through the trachea from upper airway obstruction, and although in children it is often due to croup, it can also be caused by noninfectious and/or congenital conditions as well as life-threatening etiologies. The history and physical examination guide initial management, which includes reduction of airway inflammation, treatment of bacterial infection, and, less often, imaging, emergent airway stabilization, or surgical management. This issue discusses the most common as well as the life-threatening etiologies of acute and chronic stridor and its management in the emergency department.
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