[Severe dyspnea by combination of cervical spondylosis and struma]

CASE HISTORY PHYSICAL EXAMINATION: A 79-years-old female suffered from cervical pain for several years which radiated in both shoulders. A nodular goiter was already known and therefore a radio iodine treatment had been planned. Eight months ago the patient noticed a progressing breathlessness. Emergency admission happened due to inspiratory stridor and severe attacks of dyspnoea. Sufficient breathing was only possible by wearing a rigid cervical collar. There were no neurological deficits.

Tracheoscopy showed a mass in the dorsal cervical region. The cervical x-ray, computed tomography and magnet resonance imaging conformed a distinct spondylopathy at the leading edge of the cervical vertebral bodies including ventralisation of the oesophagus and narrowing of the trachea (>50%).

Simultaneously a total thyroidectomy, including neuromonitoring of the N. vagus, and ventral microsurgical resection of the spondylopathy was performed. There was no relapse of dyspnoea in the following year.

The coincidence of a goiter and ventral cervical spondylopathy accompanied by significant dyspnoea is remarkable. The order of diagnostic steps in this emergency case displays a major problem. The patient was scheduled for goiter surgery and admitted as emergency due to a stridor. The cervical spondylopathy was diagnosed by tracheoscopy and cervical x-ray. This case report emphasizes the importance to think about cervical lesions in the presence of a goiter and dyspnoea. To find out quickly whether there is a cervical lesion or not a x-ray should be obtained. Missing these lesions can result in a fatal course.