[Tracheal stenosis secondary to airway abscess]

Abstract

Objective: To present a case with tracheal stenosis, secondary to airway abscess, and describe its clinical presentation, diagnostic methods and treatment.

Clinical case: An 85-year-old patient presented with dry cough, inspiratory laryngeal stridor and dyspnea. Physical examination: No particularities. A computed tomography scan of the neck and chest was performed, which reported a decrease in the caliber of the tracheal lumen. It was decided to admit him to the intensive care unit, and fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed where critical stenosis was observed. Mechanical dilation was performed with candles and in the absence of clinical improvement, a surgical tracheostomy was performed. During the procedure, an abscess was observed in the anterior tracheal wall, which was drained. Culture of the liquid development of Pseudomona Aeruginosa. The patient presented a good clinical evolution. being discharged 72 hours after surgery with targeted antibiotic treatment. Due to resolution of the infection process, it is decannulated 30 days after the surgical procedure. The follow-up after the extraction of the tracheostomy tube showed no particularities.

Conclusion: Airway abscesses as a cause of tracheal stenosis are uncommon; at the time of the article's presentation, there is only one recorded case in the available literature. The diagnosis requires a correct clinical evaluation and the judicious use of complementary studies such as bronchoscopies and computed axial tomography. Management is multidisciplinary, and the treatment modality will be determined by the type of patient and the severity of the stenosis.