Thumb sign of lateral neck x ray is suggestive of ??

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It’s fact based question from ENT

Can anyone guess what is diagnosis??

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A thumb sign on a lateral neck x-ray is highly suggestive of acute epiglottitis, where the epiglottis swells, looking like a thumb on the X-ray and potentially blocking the airway.

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Epiglottitis

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And Ac Epiglotitis is a medical emergency. May even require tracheostomy. Thus needs emergency management of airways (intubation with the need of trach keeping in mind).

With Hib vaccine the deadly disease has nearly disappeared from the West. I have not seen a single case in last 20 years, thanks to vaccination.

pediatrics

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The thumb sign is suggestive of acute epiglottitis.
The epiglottis appears swollen an enlargers like a thumb projecting into the airway thus called the thumb sign