RESUMEN
Supraglottic thermal burns resulting from ingestion of excessively hot food or drink can potentially lead to fatal airway obstruction due to severe edema. In this case we evaluate an adult male who presented to the emergency department (ED) with sore throat and mild voice hoarseness that began while eating hot rice soup two days prior. The patient states that after taking a bite of the hot soup, he coughed due to the heat. Shortly after, he felt a burning sensation in his throat and developed a foreign body sensation. A visual examination with video laryngoscopy of the upper airway showed no evidence of foreign bodies; however, there were suspected thermal burns near the patient's epiglottis. This case demonstrates how thermal burns can be evaluated and treated with conservative measures to reduce edema, but care takers should be aware of the severe burns leading to complete airway obstruction. Topics: Supraglottic burns, airway obstruction, laryngoscopy.
RESUMEN
Introduction: Lymphadenopathy is a common physical finding often associated with an infectious etiology. We present a case of a patient with generalized cervical and supraclavicular lymphadenopathy diagnosed with a rare malignancy. Health care providers should be aware of some uncommon historical or physical examination findings that warrant further investigation. Clinical Findings: A 16-year-old female presented to the emergency department with 3 days of a fever, congestion and sore throat with swelling around the jaw. Her physical examination findings included bilateral mandibular swelling and generalized cervical lymphadenopathy with palpable supraclavicular lymph nodes. Outcomes: Complete blood count showed pancytopenia with a white blood cell count of 4.4 × 10e3/uL, hemoglobin of 10.8 g/dL and platelets of 87 × 10e3/uL. CT scan of the neck with IV contrast revealed extensive cervical and mediastinal lymphadenopathy with suspicion of lymphoma. Biopsy results diagnosed a rare form of a hematologic malignancy called blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm. Conclusions: The presence of supraclavicular lymphadenopathy should raise concern for non-infectious etiologies, such as malignant processes.
