Images in paediatrics: a tight airway.

When assessing patients with chronic conditions we often assign new symptoms to their underlying disorder. We describe the story of a “known asthmatic” presenting with respiratory distress. A 15-year-old boy with asthma suffered severe polytrauma after being hit by a car. He required a tracheostomy to facilitate management of his mandibular fracture. He recovered well following admission and was successfully decannulated prior …