Inflammation The inflammation of the epiglottis is known as
epiglottitis. Epiglottitis is mainly caused by
Haemophilus influenzae. A person with epiglottitis may have a fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing. For this reason, acute epiglottitis is considered a
medical emergency, because of the risk of obstruction of the pharynx. Epiglottitis is often managed with
antibiotics, inhaled aerosolised
epinephrine to act as a
bronchodilator, and may require
tracheal intubation or a
tracheostomy if breathing is difficult. The incidence of epiglottitis has decreased significantly in countries where
vaccination against
Haemophilus influenzae is administered.
Aspiration When food or other objects travel down the respiratory tract rather than down the esophagus to the stomach, this is called . This can lead to
the obstruction of airways,
inflammation of lung tissue, and
aspiration pneumonia; and in the long term,
atelectasis and
bronchiectasis. Where there is impairment in laryngeal vestibule sensation, silent aspiration (entry of material to the airway that does not result in a cough reflex) may occur.
Other The epiglottis and vallecula are important anatomical landmarks in intubation. Abnormal positioning of the epiglottis is a rare cause of
obstructive sleep apnoea. == Other animals ==