Abstract:
This paper presents a case of a 7 year-old child who presented with a 14-days history of blood
stained saliva and shortness of breath of 3 days with signs of upper airway obstruction.
Laryngoscopy revealed a blackish living foreign body in the proximal trachea. Under general
anesthesia the leech was removed by applying forceps. I conclude that a high index of suspicion
of leech infestation is required when faced with a child presenting with unexplained bleeding
per mouth and signs of upper airway obstruction.
