title: Dysphagia, hoarseness, and a hypopharyngeal mass.
abstract: We describe a patient who developed a hypopharyngeal mass (in the setting of a cervical osteophyte) while taking clopidogrel and aspirin for coronary artery disease. He had a 2-month history of progressive dysphagia and hoarseness. Physical examination and computed tomography scan revealed a soft tissue retropharyngeal mass of unclear etiology yet with a stable airway. He was admitted to the intensive care unit for a 48-hour clopidogrel washout followed by surgery. A hematoma and cervical osteophyte were removed with scant bleeding. This case report emphasizes the need to consider the medication history of a patient when assessing the cause of an otherwise unexpected finding.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Anesthesiology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; †Otolaryngology Resident, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut; and ‡Department of Otolarngology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: England
authors.forename: Marissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flis
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Richard O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Wein