Epiglottitis - From Diagnosis to Resolution Over Time (Pics and Video)

Normal Epiglottis The normal epiglottis is a very thin flap of tissue that closes over the windpipe when swallowing preventing food/liquids from going down the wrong way. Shown by the blue arrow in the picture, when the epiglottis becomes infected, it can swell in size to even obstruct the airway leading to death by asphyxiation. Indeed, epiglottitis is what is thought to have killed our first  President George Washington . Fortunately,  epiglottitis  is quite rare ever since the introduc…

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How a Tracheostomy Hole Heals Closed (Time Lapse)

When a patient undergoes a tracheostomy , it is not a permanent thing. Once a patient is healthy enough, the tracheostomy tube can be removed and the existing hole in the throat will spontaneously start to heal closed. In a process called healing by secondary intention, the body creates granulation tissue along with scarring that slowly but surely closes the trach opening shut. In the rare situation it does not completely close, a surgical procedure can be performed. Here are some pictures…

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How a Tracheostomy is Performed Step-by-Step with Pictures

Below is a step-by-step description with pictures of how a tracheostomy is performed. To read more about this procedure as what to expect with swallowing, eating, talking, etc, click here . Step 1:  Neck is sterilized with beta dine to clean the skin and draped to prevent any contamination from the environment. Step 2 : After the incision, underlying fat is removed. Step 3:  Dissection is carried down to the windpipe which is completely exposed in this picture. One can see the faint out…

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