Arega Gashaw, Alamirew Mandefro, Tilahun Desalegn
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Int Med Case Rep J. 2022 Nov 4;15:621-623. doi: 10.2147/IMCRJ.S386963. eCollection 2022.
Laryngeal leech infestation is a rare cause of upper air way obstruction in children. A high index of clinical suspicion of laryngeal leech infestation has to made in child presented with foreign body sensation in the aerodigestive tract, symptoms and signs suggestive of upper air way obstruction especially in areas where drinking water from the streams and ponds is a habit. Here, we report a 9-year-old male child who presented with signs of upper air way obstruction: coughing, shortness of breath, stridor and use of accessory muscles. Direct laryngoscope examination showed a visible black mobile leech through the anterior glottis area having attachment at the anterior commissure and the other at the anterior subglottic area occupying around 75% of glottic opening. The leech adhered to the larynx was grasped cautiously with laryngeal forceps and the leech removed alive. The patient was transferred to ward with stable vital signs. Subsequently patient was decannulated and discharged home.
喉部水蛭寄生是儿童上气道梗阻的罕见原因。对于出现气道消化道异物感、提示上气道梗阻的症状和体征的儿童，尤其是在有饮用溪水和池塘水习惯的地区，必须高度怀疑喉部水蛭寄生。在此，我们报告一名9岁男性儿童，他出现了上气道梗阻的症状：咳嗽、呼吸急促、喘鸣和使用辅助呼吸肌。直接喉镜检查显示，在前声门区域可见一条黑色可移动的水蛭，附着在前联合处，另一条附着在声门下前部区域，占据声门开口约75%。用喉钳小心地抓住附着在喉部的水蛭，水蛭被活体取出。患者生命体征稳定，被转入病房。随后患者拔管并出院回家。
