title: [Diagnosis and treatment of serious adult airway obstruction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of serious adult airway obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty six adult cases admitted to our hospital for serious airway obstruction from 1995 to 2006, were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 86 cases, 34 cases (39.5%) had inflammatory diseases, 32 cases (37.2%) had neoplastic diseases and 9 cases (10.5%) had traumatic diseases. In addition, 3 cases of laryngeal spasm, 6 cases of laryngeal stricture, 2 cases of bilateral laryngeal paralysis and 1 case of asphyxia with aspiration were also include in this study. The patients who had laryngeal or tracheal obstruction were 60 cases (69.8%) and 13 cases (15.1%). In addition, 46 cases (53.5%) and 4 cases (4.7%) had tracheotomy or endotracheal intubation. Twenty six cases were only adopted medical treatment to relieve dyspnea. The final diagnosis of the 86 cases was made and the serious airway obstruction was was relieved within 2 hours. While 14 cases (16.3%) had serious complications and 6 cases (6.9%) had operative complications occurred. One cases (0.2%) died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The causes of serious adult airway obstruction could be complicated, the site and character of obstruction would change constantly. Quick diagnosis, timely removal of the obstruction should be critical factors to improve curative effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Shantou City Central Hospital, Shantou, 515031, China. shuangle888@sohu.com
authors.forename: Shuangle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chuangwei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Dongtao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Enhe
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult