Citation

Montes-Tapia F, Barreto-Arroyo I, Cura-Esquivel I, Rodríguez-Taméz A, de la O-Cavazos M. Pediatr. Emerg. Care 2014; 30(2): 114-116.

Affiliation

From the *Pediatric Emergency Service and †Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario "Dr José E. González," Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PEC.0000000000000067

PMID

24488162

Abstract

Traumatic asphyxia is a rare condition in children that usually occurs after severe compression to the chest or abdomen. We report 3 cases in patients 18, 20, and 36 months of age who presented signs and symptoms of traumatic asphyxia after car accidents. Two clinical features were consistent in all 3 patients: multiple petechiae on the face and bulbar conjunctival hemorrhage; 2 patients had facial cyanosis, and 1 had facial edema.In children, the number of clinical manifestations that should be evident to diagnose traumatic asphyxia has not been ascertained. However, in any history of trauma with compression of the chest or abdomen and signs of increased intravenous craniocervical pressure, traumatic asphyxia should be suspected.

Language: en