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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Minimal Invasive Resection of Large Retrosternal Thyroid Goiter
Published on: September 20, 2024
Thyroid gland rupture: a rare case of respiratory distress
Jörg Ahrens1, Björn Jüttner, Sabine Heidt
1Department of Anesthesiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Background:
Rupture of a normal thyroid gland after blunt cervical trauma is a rare case of airway compression. This case report describes the case of a 79-year-old woman who developed severe respiratory distress after a bicycle crash.
Case Report:
Presenting about 2 h after the crash, the patient noted cervical swelling and increasing dyspnea. The diagnosis of thyroid gland rupture was made with a combination of computed tomography scan, cervical radiography, and bronchoscopy. Invasive airway management was required in the first few hours after the crash. The patient underwent a left hemithyroidectomy, and recovered without complications.
Conclusion:
This case report highlights the fact that thyroid gland rupture can be a threatening complication of blunt cervical trauma.
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