Pathophysiology
Bacterial
tracheitis
is
a
diffuse
inflammatory
process
of
the
____________________
,
trachea
,
and
bronchi
with
adherent
or
semiadherent
mucopurulent
membranes
____________________
the
trachea
.
The
major
site
of
disease
is
at
the
cricoid
cartilage
level
,
the
narrowest
part
of
the
trachea
.
Acute
airway
obstruction
____________________
develop
secondary
to
subglottic
edema
____________________
sloughing
of
epithelial
lining
or
accumulation
of
mucopurulent
membrane
within
the
trachea
.
Signs
and
symptoms
are
usually
intermediate
between
____________________
of
epiglottitis
and
croup
.
Bacterial
tracheitis
may
____________________
more
common
in
the
pediatric
patient
because
of
the
size
and
shape
of
the
subglottic
airway
.
The
subglottis
is
the
narrowest
portion
of
the
pediatric
airway
,
____________________
a
funnel
-
shaped
internal
dimension
.
In
____________________
smaller
airway
,
relatively
little
edema
can
significantly
reduce
the
diameter
of
the
pediatric
airway
,
increasing
resistance
to
airflow
and
____________________
of
breathing
.
With
appropriate
airway
support
and
antibiotics
,
____________________
patients
improve
within
5
days
.
Although
the
pathogenesis
of
bacterial
tracheitis
is
unclear
,
mucosal
____________________
or
impairment
of
local
immune
mechanisms
due
to
a
____________________
viral
infection
,
an
injury
to
the
trachea
from
recent
intubation
,
or
trauma
may
predispose
the
airway
to
invasive
infection
with
common
pyogenic
organisms
.
