[Thyroid carcinoma as a cause of upper airway obstruction in children. Case report].
Upper airway obstruction (UAO) can be a severe medical condition with a high mortality in children. We report a 10 year-old girl with UAO due to papillary thyroid carcinoma. The study confirmed a thyroid cancer. The patient was referred to our centre for the evaluation of dyspnea and hoarseness. She was admitted in severe respiratory distress. Her chest X-ray revealed a critical narrowing of the cervical trachea and extensive infiltration of the lung with a miliary pattern; CT scan revealed a thyroid mass with bilateral pulmonary dissemination. An early surgical approach with total thyroidectomy and tracheotomy was performed. The study revealed a thyroid carcinoma. The patient was then referred to a specialized centre to receive radioiodine treatment [corrected] Recognition of thyroid carcinoma in children requires a high suspicion index. An early CT scan and fiberoptic assessment could show UAO in many unsuspected lesions.
Platzer
Lisbeth
L
Departamento de Pediatría, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.
Vega-Briceño
Luis E
LE
González
Hernán
H
Iñiguez
Fernando
F
Escobar
Cyntia
C
Prado
Francisco
F
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014140:Tracheotomy