[Intricated asthma tracheomalacia: diagnosis and therapeutic aspects].

Abstract

An asthmatic girl was first hospitalized at age 2(9/12) years because of dyspnoea, lung consolidations and/or atelectasis, and rattling. Between ages 2(9/12) and 6(2/12) years, she required three hospitalizations in ICU out of nine hospitalizations for the same symptoms. Differential diagnosis of this difficult to treat asthma disclosed severe tracheomalacia and persistent asthma. Treatments given according to the clinical, radiological and functional findings failed to decrease frequency and severity of acute respiratory episodes. Eventually, positive pressure ventilation delivered at airway opening (via a mouthpiece) associated to active respiratory physiotherapy succeeded in removing atelectasis and quickly cured the five following acute episodes without any further hospitalization. This case report is about diagnosis procedure, intricate asthma and tracheomalacia, and open mind to unusual therapeutics that may disclose potential help.

• Authors: N Beydon, I Menier, L Hovloet-Vermaut, B Delaisi, N Pinto da Costa, M Lorrot
• Journal: Archives de pediatrie : organe officiel de la Societe francaise de pediatrie (Arch Pediatr) Vol. 16 Issue 3 Pg. 294-8 (Mar 2009) ISSN: 0929-693X [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Asthme et trachéomalacie associés: aspects diagnostiques et thérapeutiques.
• PMID: 19171468 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Asthma (complications)
• Child
• Female
• Hospitalization (statistics & numerical data)
• Humans
• Positive-Pressure Respiration
• Pulmonary Atelectasis (etiology, therapy)
• Tracheomalacia (etiology, therapy)