Fatal dyspnoea: The case report of a female patient with inoperable thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Tumors of the thyroid gland, due to their localization in the neck, can as they grow pose a threat to the airway. Thyroid malignancies, aside from compression, can also infiltrate local tissue. The case presented is that of a female patient with advanced thyroid cancer that required urgent airway management, but due to the propagation of the malignancy into the mediastinum and consequent compression of distal trachea and lung tissue, the hospitalization ended with a fatal outcome regardless of the treatment undertaken. Even advanced airway management methods (endotracheal intubation or tracheotomy) are sometimes not enough to save our patients' lives.

Keywords

• advanced thyroid cancer
• dyspnea
• airway management