title: Thyroid gland rupture: a rare case of respiratory distress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rupture of a normal thyroid gland after blunt cervical trauma is a rare case of airway compression. This case report describes the case of a 79-year-old woman who developed severe respiratory distress after a bicycle crash.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presenting about 2 h after the crash, the patient noted cervical swelling and increasing dyspnea. The diagnosis of thyroid gland rupture was made with a combination of computed tomography scan, cervical radiography, and bronchoscopy. Invasive airway management was required in the first few hours after the crash. The patient underwent a left hemithyroidectomy, and recovered without complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case report highlights the fact that thyroid gland rupture can be a threatening complication of blunt cervical trauma.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Ahrens
authors: Björn
authors: B
authors: Jüttner
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Heidt
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Scheinichen
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Przemeck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D058109:Airway Management; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012421:Rupture / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*