Angioedema: A Life Threatening Airway Emergency: A Case Report.

Angioedema is a rare event (Incidence: 100 to 3000/100,000 persons) which can lead to a life threatening airway emergency in a very short time and this necessitates urgent intervention. We present a case of potentially life-threatening postoperative swelling of the tongue, oro-pharynx and submandibular area that developed in a patient after giving second dose of antibiotic (Cefotaxime). With the treatment, the patient had an uneventful outcome. The principal treatment of angioedema is the discontinuation of the precipitating agent and airway management. Patients with swelling limited to face and oral cavity may require monitoring only. However, those with swelling in the floor of mouth, tongue and supraglottic or glottic areas should have their airway secured by fibre-optic guided tracheal intubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]