ABSTRACT

Acute epiglottitis, a serious life-threatening disease because of its potential for sudden upper airway obstruction, is most commonly seen in children, although it can occur in adults. Because acute epiglottitis is uncommon in adults, it is often misdiagnosed. We report here the case of a 43-year-old man with serious acute infectious epiglottitis. He was treated first medically but medical treatment failed, and tracheotomy was performed for airway management. Knowledge of the symptoms and signs of the disease lead to early diagnosis and appropriate management, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality rates in adults.