ABSTRACT

Hong Kong Med J 2013;19:186–7 | Number 2, April 2013
CASE REPORT
Nasopharyngeal encephalocele: a rare cause of upper airway obstruction
Gokhan Kalkan, Sukru Paksu, Nazik Asilioglu, Mehmet Kiliç
Department of Pediatrics, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
 
 
Nasopharyngeal encephalocele is a rare, benign congenital anomaly. It has the potential to be fatal due to airway obstruction. Here, we report on a 34-day-old infant with pneumonia who underwent mechanical ventilation. An upper airway evaluation was performed due to prolonged intubation, and revealed the presence of a nasopharyngeal encephalocele. The patient tolerated extubation and oral feeding after surgical resection of the lesion. Awareness of the condition can help clinicians arrive at an earlier diagnosis and enhance management.
 
Key words: Airway obstruction; Encephalocele; Respiratory insufficiency
 
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