SPONTANEOUS UVULA HEMATOMA

Abstract

Uvula hematoma is more commonly seen as a complication of thrombolytics and streptokinase use or after trauma. Although spontaneous uvula hematoma is rare in the literature, we aim to present a rare spontaneous uvula hematoma in our case. A 26-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency service with a feeling of sticking in her throat and difficulty in swallowing. There were no features in the patient's medical history. In her physical examination, the uvula was ecchymotic and edematous. She stated that she does not use any antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents. Other system examinations were normal. In some studies,  uvula hematoma have been reported after endotracheal intubation and  use of antiplatellet. However, uvula hematoma was spontaneously formed in the patient who applied to us. As with all emergency cases, hemodynamic stability and airway patency should be maintained in the first intervention in such airway hematomas. After maintaining the airway, anticoagulation therapy or hematoma drainage, if necessary, constitute the second step of hematoma treatment. The main cause of Uvula hematomas is trauma and anticoagulant therapy. In the management of these patients, priority is to maintain airway clarity. The upper aerodigestive system should be checked for bleeding after trauma, endoscopy and intubation, especially in patients with anticoagulant therapy and in patients with systemic bleeding disease.

Keywords

• Spontaneous
• uvula hematoma
• emergency medicine

References

1. 1. Kounis NG. Daylouros. Bleeding complication with dual antiplate-let therapy: spontaneous uvula hematoma. CMAJ 186: 1168, 2014.
2. 2. Eggers KA, Mason NP. Lingual haematoma following streptokinase therapy [letter]. Anaesthesia. 1994;49:922.
3. 3. Gill P, Sadler P. Uvula hematoma: an unusual complication of streptokinase. Anesth Analg. 1999 Aug;89(2):307-8.
4. 4. Paleri V, Maroju RS, Ali MS, Ruckley RW. Spontaneous retroand parapharyngeal haematoma caused by intrathyroid bleed. J Laryngol Otol. 2002 Oct;116(10):854-8.
5. 5. Jervis P, Mason JDT, Jones NS. Streptokinase and facial haematoma. Postgrad Med. 1995;71:114 -5.
6. 6. Kausar H, Gilani JM, Khan OA. No more Doritos and lobster tails: a case report of life-threatening sublingual hematoma. Del Med J. 2009 Jul;81(7):255-8.
7. 7. Hacer Baran, Ozan Gokdogan. Spontaneous uvula hematoma: an unusual case. Eur Res J 2015;1(2):78-80
8. 8. Matsuura H, Fukumura T. Uvula hematoma. Intern Med 56: 3269, 2017