Epiglottitis and pulmonary oedema in children

We have presented three patients with epiglottitis who developed pulmonary oedema during the course of treatment with nasotracheal intubation and antibiotics. The exact mechanism for the development of pulmonary oedema in these patients is not known. Possible mechnisms are changed in the physical factors controlling the movement of fluids across the capillary-alveolar membrane, transitory bacteraemia and endotoxinaemia, or myocardial depression by the antibiotics and the anaesthetic agent. The pulmonary oedema had a benign course and responded to mechanical ventilation and increased airway pressure.