TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Membranous (Bacterial) Tracheitis A1 - Shah, Ashish A1 - Sobolewski, Brad A1 - Mittiga, Matthew R. A2 - Knoop, Kevin J. A2 - Stack, Lawrence B. A2 - Storrow, Alan B. A2 - Thurman, R. Jason PY - 2021 T2 - The Atlas of Emergency Medicine, 5e AB - Membranous tracheitis is an acute exudative bacterial infection (S aureus, H influenzae, M catarrhalis, streptococci, and pneumococci) of the upper airway capable of causing life-threatening airway obstruction. It may present as a primary infection or occur as a secondary bacterial complication of a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. This locally invasive infection of the tracheal mucosa below the vocal cords produces copious purulent secretions. The exudate can form a thick plug that may ultimately lead to an acute tracheal obstruction. Patients appear toxic, with high fever and a croup-like syndrome that can progress rapidly. The characteristic “membranes” may be seen on x-rays of the airway as edema with an irregular border of the subglottic tracheal mucosa. On direct laryngoscopy, profuse purulent secretions can be found in the presence of a normal epiglottis. The differential diagnosis includes acute laryngotracheobronchitis, RPA, epiglottitis, peritonsillar abscess, foreign-body aspiration, and acute diphtheric laryngitis. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/29 UR - accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1181044597 ER -