[Unanticipated difficult extubation]

Complications at extubation remain an important risk factor in anaesthesia. Airway related complications at extubation are relatively frequent but are usually dealt with by simple basic measures. We report a new case of respiratory complications associated with tracheal extubation in a 59-year-old woman. Her medical history included obesity, no criteria difficult intubation and no adverse events during her previous anesthetic procedures. At the end of surgery, immediately after extubation, the patient developed respiratory distress requiring reintubation. A second extubation performed in postoperative recovery room was complicated by a new respiratory distress with reintubation. The patient was then admitted to the ICU. The examination on admission was unremarkable. Chest X-ray and a chest CT scan were performed in search of an etiology. Both tests showed a large thyroid "goitre plongeant" (plunging goiter) and compressive. In the suites, a thyroidectomy was performed with excision of a large cervical plunging goiter para- and retropharyngeal bilateral chest, allowing extubation successfully. The postoperative course was uneventful.