Tham khảo luận văn - đề án 'báo cáo y học: " benign cervical multi-nodular goiter presenting with acute airway obstruction: a case report"', luận văn - báo cáo phục vụ nhu cầu học tập, nghiên cứu và làm việc hiệu quả | Sharma et al. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2010 4 258 http content 4 1 258 jAg JOURNALOF medical ÌỤr case REPORTS CASE REPORT Open Access Benign cervical multi-nodular goiter presenting with acute airway obstruction a case report Anu Sharma Vijay Naraynsingh Surujpaul Teelucksingh Abstract Introduction Benign cervical goiters rarely cause acute airway obstruction. Case presentation We report the case of a 64-year-old woman of African descent who presented with acute shortness of breath. She required immediate intubation and later a total thyroidectomy for a benign cervical multinodular goiter with no retrosternal tracheal compression. Conclusion Benign multi-nodular goiters are commonly left untreated once euthyroid. Peak inspiratory flow rates should be measured via spirometry in all goiters to assess the degree of tracheal compression. Once tracheal compression is identified an elective total thyroidectomy should be performed to prevent morbidity and mortality from acute airway obstruction. Introduction Benign multi-nodular goiter is a common problem affecting 5 of the general population in non-endemic and 15 1 in endemic areas. However the incidence of benign goiter causing acute airway obstruction is as low as 2 . Retrosternal goiters account for most of these cases as growth of the thyroid into the bony rigid thoracic inlet can cause tracheal compression. When a goiter is purely cervical however it rarely compresses the trachea to cause obstruction 3 . On review of the literature only eight reports of cervical goiters causing airway obstruction were found 3-6 . Here we present the case of a patient with recurrent benign cervical multinodular goiter presenting with acute airway obstruction. Case presentation A 64-year-old hypertensive woman of African descent presented to our emergency room with a two-day history of worsening shortness of breath and stridor. She had been aware of a recurrent goiter for over 15 years having had