Pediatric Upper Airway Obstruction

Upper airway obstruction is a common reason that children present for emergency care, and causes range from simple and benign etiologies to life-threatening conditions requiring emergent intervention. Both congenital and acquired conditions can result in airway obstruction at various levels, and due to the high risk of acute decompensation associated with some of these conditions, rapid diagnosis and treatment are essential. This review covers assessment and stabilization, diagnosis, and treatment of foreign-body aspiration, croup, bacterial tracheitis, epiglottitis, peritonsillar abscess, and retropharyngeal abscess. Figures show a diagram of the pediatric airway, an anteroposterior radiograph of the neck demonstrating the characteristic “steeple sign” in croup, an algorithm for the treatment of croup, lateral radiographs demonstrating a thickened epiglottis, consistent with a diagnosis of epiglottitis,  and a widening of the prevertebral soft tissues of the neck, consistent with a diagnosis of retropharyngeal abscess. Tables list causes of upper airway obstruction by anatomic location, symptoms of upper airway obstruction by anatomic location, severity of croup, and microbiology of deep neck abscesses.   This review contains 5 figures, 13 tables, and 32 references Key words: Upper airway obstruction; Pediatric upper airway obstruction, Foreign-body aspiration, Croup, Bacterial tracheitis, Epiglottitis, Peritonsillar abscess, Retropharyngeal abscess, Stridor