Lingual haematoma: yet another unusual cause of upper airway obstruction.
An episode of acute upper airway obstruction was caused by a lingual haematoma, when a patient with end stage renal failure suffered a hypocalcaemic fit and bit his tongue. The large haematoma and profuse bleeding caused the patient to obstruct and become hypoxic, and rendered laryngoscopy and intubation impossible, requiring an urgent tracheostomy to secure the airway.
Ng
K P
KP
Department of Anaesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D006406:Hematoma / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000150:complications*