title: Management of Thyroid Gland Hemorrhage After Blunt Trauma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thyroid hemorrhage is a rare injury in patients suffering from blunt trauma to the neck. The case of a 60-year-oldwoman is describedwho developed increasing swelling in the neck with a mild inspiratory stridor after a fall from her bed. The fall had resulted in hemorrhage within a previously existing goiter. Further analysis by means of a CT scan revealed severe tracheal compression and active bleeding, which prompted immediate operative intervention. The patient recovered without complications. The decision-making process in this case is outlined, and other reports describing patients with thyroid hemorrhage after blunt cervical trauma are reviewed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although blunt thyroid injury is an uncommon condition, failure to consider the diagnosis or failure to anticipate complications of thyroid hemorrhage may result in progressive bleeding and airway compromise. Decision making is based on the patient's vital signs and, if possible, the findings on a contrastenhanced CT scan of the neck.
authors.affiliation: Section Traumatology, Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. e.schipper@chir.umcn.nl.|Section Traumatology 960, Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. e.schipper@chir.umcn.nl.
authors.forename: Ellis E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Schipper
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Digna R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kool
authors.affiliation: Section Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wobbes
authors.affiliation: Section Traumatology, Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Leo M G
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Geeraedts
keywords: Airway management; Blunt trauma; Hemorrhage; Neck injury; Thyroid
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