title: Advanced upper airway obstruction caused by cervical goiter.
abstract: Goiters are an unusual cause of advanced upper airway obstruction. Previously described patients have been clearly symptomatic, and most have had substernal goiters. We present a patient with minimal symptoms with severe upper airway obstruction from a cervical goiter despite long-term therapy with thyroid hormone. Her spirometry exceeded criteria for urgent surgery. Patients with large goiters should have spirometry with flow-volume loop performed despite minimal or absent symptoms of respiratory distress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn, NY 11235.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiriboga
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oropello
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Padmanabhan
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged