Laryngeal varices: an atypical cause of globus

Laryngeal varices are rare and are usually associated with vocal cord trauma secondary to excessive use of voice. This report is the first documented case of laryngeal varices secondary to thyroid goitre. This is a report of an 83-year-old woman with a known retrosternal goitre chiefly with symptoms of globus. Retrosternal goitre was found to be compressing the pharyngeal venous plexus causing laryngeal venous structures bilaterally to be engorged along the aryepiglottic folds, arytenoids, posterior commissure and extending in to the postcricoid region. The presence of laryngeal varices carries a significant increased risk of haemorrhage. This case presents an atypical presentation of globus and the first reported case in the literature of laryngeal varices secondary to a thyroid goitre.

Endocrine surgery

This chapter outlines the clinically relevant anatomy and physiology of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. The assessment and management of a patient with a thyroid goitre and post-operative complications are described in detail. Conditions such as thyrotoxicosis, thyroid malignancies, hyperparathyroidism, adrenal incidentaloma, cushing’s syndrome, conn’s syndrome, phaeochromocytoma and multiple endocrine neoplasia are discussed in this chapter.

Multinodular thyroid goitre causing obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome

Background:Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome has been linked to obesity, nasal obstruction and adenotonsillar hypertrophy, but rarely to large thyroid goitres.Objective:To study the possible association between multinodular retrolaryngo-pharyngeal or retrosternal goitres and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.Subjects and methods:Retrospective case series at a tertiary referral centre (2000–2010). Study parameters included body mass index, Epworth sleep score and polysomnographic index.Results:Five patients were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and managed with nasal continuous positive airway pressure ventilation. Computed tomography showed a retrolaryngo-pharyngeal or retrosternal goitre with significant tracheal compression, displacement and laryngeal oedema. After total thyroidectomy, obstructive sleep apnoea resolved in all patients.Conclusion:Large, multinodular goitres with retrolaryngo-pharyngeal extension can cause obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome due to laryngeal compression and oedema. In such cases, total thyroidectomy enables resolution of symptoms. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome should be screened for thyroid goitre.

A retropharyngeal multinodular goitre

Thyroid goitre usually presents as a mid-line lump in the neck with or without compressive symptoms. More commonly, the goitre can extend inferiorly into the mediastinum resulting in a retrosternal goitre. We present an unusual case of goiterous enlargement of the thyroid gland into the retropharyngeal space presenting as a retropharyngeal mass.

Life–threatening Pulmonary Oedema Secondary to Tracheal Compression

We present a case of negative pressure pulmonary oedema due to an overlooked cause. A 45-year-old female patient presented to the emergency department unconscious with severe pulmonary oedema. Subsequent investigations revealed a thyroid goitre causing significant tracheal compression. This case report highlights an extremely rare but potentially dangerous sequela of upper airway obstruction.

Tongue-base hamartoma in tuberous sclerosis

This paper describes the case of a 41-year-old female with tuberous sclerosis who persented with a large tongue-base hamartoma. The surgical management of the patient was complicated by the presence of a large thyroid goitre. Awake fibre-optic intubation, thyroidectomy then tracheostomy were necessary before the tongue-base hamartoma could be safely resected. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a tongue-base hamartoma in a patient with tuberous sclerosis.

Goitre presenting as an oropharyngeal mass: an unusual finding in the elderly

Thyroid goitre presentation in the neck with extension inferiorly to the mediastinum is well-known. Extension superiorly into the retropharyngeal space is very rare and may be accompanied by change in voice and/or airway compromise.A case is described of a patient with change in voice and mild airway compromise secondary to a goitre presenting in the oropharynx. Computed tomography (CT) and physical findings are discussed with the need to recognize this rare entity.