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IPLab:Lab 9:Diphtheria

Revision as of 14:37, 21 August 2013 by Seung Park (talk | contribs)

Clinical SummaryEdit

This 4-year-old black female had an upper respiratory infection and a sore throat with increasing difficulty in breathing. Membranous exudate over one tonsil led to a working diagnosis of diphtheria, and the child was admitted. On the day of her admission, the child developed signs of respiratory tract obstruction and a tracheotomy was performed. However, the procedure was unable to establish a patent airway and the child died.

Autopsy FindingsEdit

At autopsy, a dense grayish pink membrane extended from both tonsils to the mid-trachea. The lungs were edematous and showed signs of pneumonia.

ImagesEdit

In alcoholics, aspiration pneumonia is common--bacteria enter the lung via aspiration of gastric contents.