Emergency Thyroidectomy Due to Obstruction of the Trachea- A Case Report

Abstract

We report a case of a 69- year- old man, who came to the emergency department with reported shortness of breath and syncope. A 69-year-old man came to the emergency department with reported shortness of breath and syncope. His condition was deteriorating, and intubation was considered necessary. The axial neck and chest revealed a giant thyroid goitre, not posterior, which exerts pressure on the trachea, and concomitant pneumonia. Following a surgical assessment, a thyroidectomy was considered necessary. Subtotal thyroidectomy is a safe treatment choice for possible recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, in an emergency operation. Complete preoperative assessment of each case is necessary for a safer outcome. Thyroid function testing, imaging of the neck structures, suspicion and possible confirmation of the existence of anaplastic carcinoma, and neurostimulation, if possible, will determine the type of surgery, total thyroidectomy or superficial thyroidectomy.We report a case of a 69- year- old man, who came to the emergency department with reported shortness of breath and syncope. A 69-year-old man came to the emergency department with reported shortness of breath and syncope. His condition was deteriorating, and intubation was considered necessary. The axial neck and chest revealed a giant thyroid goitre, not posterior, which exerts pressure on the trachea, and concomitant pneumonia. Following a surgical assessment, a thyroidectomy was considered necessary. Subtotal thyroidectomy is a safe treatment choice for possible recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, in an emergency operation. Complete preoperative assessment of each case is necessary for a safer outcome. Thyroid function testing, imaging of the neck structures, suspicion and possible confirmation of the existence of anaplastic carcinoma, and neurostimulation, if possible, will determine the type of surgery, total thyroidectomy or superficial thyroidectomy.