Acute airway compromise secondary to traumatic thyroid hemorrhage.
Hemorrhage into cystic thyroid nodules is a relatively frequent event. Most cases are mild, causing only pain and discomfort, and rarely cause significant neck swelling. Even more rarely, however, massive hemorrhage into a thyroid nodule can result in a rapidly expanding hematoma with airway compromise. We report a case of a rapidly expanding thyroid hematoma that occurred after minor trauma and resulted in airway compromise in a patient with no clinical or surgical evidence of thyroid disease. We also present a review of the literature.
Armstrong
W B
WB
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Funk
G F
GF
Rice
D H
DH
D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000150:complications; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D019838:Neck Injuries; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery