JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In the trauma room of the Pediatric Emergency Department at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center, a one-year-old toddler was recently admitted in critical condition, with his life in immediate danger.

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The child was diagnosed with epiglottitis,an inflammation of the epiglottis, a rare but life-threatening medical emergency in children. The toddler, who had not received his routine vaccinations, contracted Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), the bacterium most commonly associated with epiglottitis.

Thanks to rapid treatment and an accurate diagnosis by a multidisciplinary medical team, including pediatricians, ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists, anesthesiologists, and an expanded nursing staff, the child’s life was saved. He was initially admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit under the direction of Dr. Jacques Brown and, after his condition stabilized, was transferred to the pediatric ward headed by Prof. Orly Magid.

Initial reports received by Israel’s emergency medical service, Magen David Adom (MDA), suggested that the child had swallowed a foreign object, based on information provided by his father. As a result, medical teams first conducted an examination using a special endoscopic camera designed for the rapid removal of foreign bodies. However, no evidence of a swallowed object was found.

The team then conducted further questioning of the father and learned that the toddler had not received his routine vaccinations. Combined with the identification of severe swelling and extensive edema that threatened to block the child’s airway, doctors began to suspect epiglottitis. Laboratory tests later confirmed that he had been infected with Haemophilus influenzae type B.

The massive swelling that obstructed the airway forced the anesthesiology team to use an exceptionally small and narrow breathing tube (endotracheal tube), typically reserved for ventilating premature infants immediately after birth.

Thanks to careful preparation and a high level of expertise, the team successfully inserted the tube and prevented the child from suffocating. Alongside the physicians, nurses from the pediatric department also played a key role in the treatment.

Dr. Efrat Blankenstein, a pediatric resident who participated in the treatment, said:

“The baby was only minutes away from death. This is an extremely rare case that, according to our senior physicians, has not occurred at Shaare Zedek for decades. Until now, it was mainly an emergency condition we studied in theory.

Had the child been vaccinated, the entire incident would have been prevented. If we had not been prepared in the trauma room with the specialized equipment and reinforced medical teams, the story could have ended very differently. I urge parents: vaccinate your children. No child should die or suffer severe illness from a preventable disease.”

Dr. Shani Messner-Peiraisen, another pediatric resident who treated the child, added:

“The incidence of epiglottitis has declined dramatically over the years due to the inclusion of the Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine in the routine immunization schedule. This condition causes an infection of the cartilage tissue that prevents food from entering the windpipe. As a result, the tissue becomes swollen and can block the airways. Symptoms appear suddenly and worsen rapidly.”

Dr. Moriah Peiser-Rosenberg, an ENT resident, concluded:”The initial report was that the baby was choking after swallowing seeds. However, we realized that this was an entirely different event after performing a fiber-optic examination of the upper airway to determine whether a foreign body was causing the obstruction.

I am grateful that we were able to save the baby’s life through multidisciplinary cooperation and the immediate provision of life-saving medical treatment upon his arrival.”