de Bilderling G, Bodart E, Tuerlinckx D, Lawson G
Service de pédiatrie, cliniques universitaires de Mont-Godinne, université catholique de Louvain, avenue Thérasse, 5530 Yvoir, Belgique.
Arch Pediatr. 2001 Nov;8(11):1214-7. doi: 10.1016/s0929-693x(01)00637-6.
We report the case of a five-year-old boy with clinical features of croup and left lower lobe pneumonia. Response to inhaled adrenaline and dexamethasone was incomplete and he developed respiratory distress. Direct laryngoscopy performed in the operating room showed mild glottic and subglottic inflammation. On bronchoscopy, there was thick pus coming from the left lower lobe. He was intubated for three days and regular toilet brought back thick pus. Tracheal fluid culture grew Haemophilius influenzae.
We suggest that he had bacterial tracheitis but that the tracheal involvement was not prominent at the time of diagnosis.
Laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy in specialized surroundings should be considered for each child with croup unresponsive to conventional treatment, especially in case of lower respiratory tract involvement.
