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- “The Real” co-host Jeannie Mai underwent emergency surgery after being diagnosed with epiglottitis Sunday evening.
- Epiglottitis is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by swelling in the throat.
- It occurs when the epiglottis, a cartilage flap that covers the windpipe, becomes inflamed and blocks the airway.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Jeannie Mai’s “Dancing with the Stars” journey came to an abrupt end when she required emergency surgery this week.
“The Real” co-host, 41, underwent an operation after being diagnosed with epiglottitis, a potentially life-threatening swelling in the throat, Sunday evening. She opened up about her condition in a video that aired during Monday night’s episode of DWTS.
“I found out that I have a throat abscess, where my tonsils and my throat had gotten so infected that it started permeating to the rest of the areas behind my neck and my ears that I had to get emergency surgery, which is why I’m here now,” Mai said from her hospital bed.
The remaining DWTS contestants dodged a double elimination due to Mai’s early exit, while the talk show host avoided a worse fate. Mai’s doctor told her that if she had waited one more day before going to the hospital, her throat would have closed up, People reported.
“I am heartbroken that my DWTS journey has to end here. The last several weeks have been an amazing learning experience. I have pushed myself to new limits physically and mentally, and I am so proud of how far we’ve come,” Mai said in a statement to People.
Here's what you need to know about epiglottis, the rare but life-threatening condition that landed Mai in the hospital.
Epiglottitis occurs when there is swelling at the top of the vocal cords
Epiglottitis, with the ending "-itis" meaning inflammation, is characterized by swelling of the epiglottis, a cartilage flap that sits beneath the tongue and just above the vocal cords.
The epiglottis prevents food from entering the windpipe during swallowing. The spoon-shaped flap is there to protect your airway, but any swelling in the area could block your breathing.
Sam Huh, MD, chief of otolaryngology at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, said people with epiglottitis usually present with drooling, trouble swallowing, and sometimes leaning forward to prevent the flap from blocking the airway entirely.
Other symptoms of epiglottitis can include fever, sore throat, difficulty breathing, or a high-pitched noise when breathing in, according to Mayo Clinic.
The condition is rare nowadays, but still dangerous
Huh told Insider that epiglottitis used to be more common in children, who sometimes developed the condition after contracting Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Most kids today get vaccinated for Hib, which can also cause pneumonia, meningitis, and blood infections.
Nowadays, adults can develop epiglottitis due to an infection or abscess in the area, such as in Mai's case, or due to injury such as smoke inhalation or swallowing something hot.
Early diagnosis of epiglottitis is key to managing it, Huh said. Any problems with breathing or swallowing merit a trip to the emergency room, and the person who is struggling should sit upright and stay quiet so they can continue to breathe.
"People do die from this," Huh said. "If you don't get to the hospital or emergency room or go to the doctor right away, it could be a day or even sometimes hours can make the difference between life and death."
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