Life-threatening airway obstruction at the presentation of Hodgkin's disease

Mediastinal involvement from Hodgkin's disease is common. Significant symptoms resulting from disease at this site are less common and only rarely does severe airway obstruction occur. The authors report six cases of Hodgkin's disease in which life-threatening airway obstruction was a major feature of the clinical presentation and early clinical course. The literature describing this complication is reviewed. General anesthesia with endobronchial intubation should be avoided if at all possible in patients with airway obstruction and alternative methods of diagnosis and management are discussed.