The National Hospital for Tropical Diseases successfully received and treated patient N.V.T, 66 years old, in Hanoi in a state of severe respiratory failure, severe shortness of breath. The patient's family said that Mr. T often has a habit of chewing ice cubes to cool down quickly after each polishing trip or returning from the sun.
About two days before being admitted to the hospital, the patient developed sore throat, tonsil pain accompanied by high fever. After only one day, the symptoms progressed rapidly and became more serious with symptoms of difficulty swallowing and breathing, forcing the family to take him to the emergency room.
According to Dr. Trinh Thuy Lien, specialist in Ear, Nose and Throat, Center for Medical Examination and Treatment on Request and International, the patient was admitted to the hospital in a state of inflamed red throat mucosa, swollen tongue, and a swollen mass containing white pus appeared in the throat area. The inflammation spread to the larynx, causing the vocal cord to be seriously swollen, causing the airway to be almost completely narrowed and accumulating a lot of phlegm.
Test results showed that the patient had a severe infection with increased white blood cell count, CRP inflammatory index reaching 55.1 mg/L. CT scan images revealed a 16 x 41 mm left tonsil peripheral abscess, accompanied by calcification damage causing nasopharyngeal and airway stenosis. Doctors diagnosed the patient with a lower left tonsil peripheral abscess combined with acute tonsil edema.
Dr. Trinh Thuy Lien assessed that this was a difficult case because the patient was old, the abscess was in a complex position and the airway was almost blocked. The process of placing an endotracheal tube for anesthesia faced a very high risk of failure.
If we cannot insert a breathing tube, we are forced to open the trachea through the skin to support respiration. Fortunately, the team handled it successfully, creating favorable conditions for incision and drainage of the abscess," Dr. Lien said.
After 5 days of intensive treatment combined with an abscess drainage procedure, the patient's health stabilized and he was discharged from the hospital.
For patient T's case, doctors predict that after about a month, when the inflammation is completely stable, the patient will have tonsilectomy surgery to prevent the risk of recurrence.
Doctors warn that when the body is hot after exercise or sunbathing, drinking water that is too cold or chewing ice immediately can create a large temperature difference in the throat area. This causes the throat mucosa and tonsils to be strongly irritated, creating conditions for bacteria to grow, causing inflammation and forming abscesses.
Underlying tonsil abscess is considered a dangerous complication because it can cause acute airway obstruction. People need to pay special attention when signs such as prolonged sore throat, high fever, difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking or breathing appear, then they must go to a specialized medical facility for examination and timely treatment.
