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Case Report

Critical Upper Airway Obstruction as the First Symptom of Acute Myeloid Leukemia—An Anesthesiologic Reminder

1
Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
2
Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
3
Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
4
Section for Radiology, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
5
Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
6
Section for Hematology, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Clin. Pract. 2020, 10(2), 1214; https://doi.org/10.4081/cp.2020.1214
Submission received: 16 October 2019 / Revised: 21 April 2020 / Accepted: 18 May 2020 / Published: 10 June 2020

Abstract

Acute upper airway obstruction can be fatal. Early recognition of airway distress followed by diagnostic laryngoscopy and prompt intervention to secure airway control is crucial. We here present a 62-year old male patient who presented with cough and increasing respiratory distress for three weeks. Within the next 24 h, he developed symptoms of critical upper airway obstruction, endotracheal intubation was not possible, and an acute surgical tracheotomy was performed to retain patent airways. A computer tomography scan revealed severe laryngopharyngeal soft tissue thickening and upper airway obstruction caused by leukemic infiltration. He was diagnosed with acute leukemia and responded to induction chemotherapy. This case report points out the importance of establishing the diagnosis of critical upper airway obstruction in patients presenting with respiratory symptoms, and highlights the emergency management of airway obstruction due to malignant infiltration of leukemic blasts.
Keywords: upper airway obstruction; airway management; acute tracheotomy; acute myeloid leukemia upper airway obstruction; airway management; acute tracheotomy; acute myeloid leukemia

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Bruserud, Ø.; Wendelbo, Ø.; Vetti, N.; Goplen, F.K.; Johansen, S.; Reikvam, H. Critical Upper Airway Obstruction as the First Symptom of Acute Myeloid Leukemia—An Anesthesiologic Reminder. Clin. Pract. 2020, 10, 1214. https://doi.org/10.4081/cp.2020.1214

AMA Style

Bruserud Ø, Wendelbo Ø, Vetti N, Goplen FK, Johansen S, Reikvam H. Critical Upper Airway Obstruction as the First Symptom of Acute Myeloid Leukemia—An Anesthesiologic Reminder. Clinics and Practice. 2020; 10(2):1214. https://doi.org/10.4081/cp.2020.1214

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bruserud, Øyvind, Øystein Wendelbo, Nils Vetti, Frederik Kragerud Goplen, Silje Johansen, and Håkon Reikvam. 2020. "Critical Upper Airway Obstruction as the First Symptom of Acute Myeloid Leukemia—An Anesthesiologic Reminder" Clinics and Practice 10, no. 2: 1214. https://doi.org/10.4081/cp.2020.1214

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