title: Laryngocoele presenting as acute airway obstruction.
abstract: A laryngocoele is an abnormal dilatation of the laryngeal saccule. Symptomatic laryngocoeles can present as rapidly developing airway obstruction. In this case report of a 37-year-old man with a laryngocoele, we discuss the management dilemma presented by his repeated flight from the hospital prior to definitive treatment. This resulted in repeated admissions with life-threatening airway symptoms, culminating in emergency tracheostomies. Surgical excision of the laryngocoele was not achieved until the third presentation. We recommend early surgical intervention in patients who are potentially non-compliant to treatment or follow-up. A brief literature review of laryngocoele, as well as management of the difficult airway, are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Prescot Road, Liverpool L7 8XP, The United Kingdom. lcheel@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: C L S
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Badran
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: McCormick
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009078:Mucocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014139:Tracheostomy; D016312:Treatment Refusal