A Man with Sore Throat—A Case Report

Supraglottic thermal burns resulting from ingestion of excessively hot food or drink can potentially lead to fatal airway obstruction due to severe edema. In this case we evaluate an adult male who presented to the emergency department (ED) with sore throat and mild voice hoarseness that began while eating hot rice soup two days prior. The patient states that after taking a bite of the hot soup, he coughed due to the heat. Shortly after, he felt a burning sensation in his throat and developed a foreign body sensation. A visual examination with video laryngoscopy of the upper airway showed no evidence of foreign bodies; however, there were suspected thermal burns near the patient’s epiglottis. This case demonstrates how thermal burns can be evaluated and treated with conservative measures to reduce edema, but care takers should be aware of the severe burns leading to complete airway obstruction. TOPICS: Supraglottic burns, airway obstruction, laryngoscopy.