Airway Narrowing
October 21st, 2019
Overview
Narrowing of the airway may be caused by obstruction within the airway lumen, inflammation within the airway walls, or external compression.
Look For
- A small-calibre airway with either diffuse or focal narrowing.
Causes of Airway Narrowing
- Previous airway injury - direct trauma, burns, radiation, prolonged intubation
- Infection - e.g. tuberculosis
- Inflammatory - Wegener's granulomatosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, , rheumatoid arthritis, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis
- Airway tumour
- Congenital tracheal stenosis
- Idiopathic subglottic stenosis
- Foreign body
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