Sudden Spontaneous Neck Swelling Due to Thyroid Malignancy: A Case Report.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Oncology
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Sudden spontaneous neck swelling is a rare but critical medical emergency.
• Thyroid malignancies typically present insidiously, not as acute swelling.
• Differentiating causes of acute neck swelling can be diagnostically challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report an extremely rare presentation of thyroid cancer.
• To highlight the diagnostic challenges associated with sudden neck swelling.
• To emphasize the importance of considering malignancy in acute neck presentations.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a young euthyroid male presenting with sudden neck swelling.
• Clinical examination findings including tracheal deviation.
• Diagnostic workup and histopathological confirmation of follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Main Results:

• The patient presented with acute, spontaneous neck swelling causing significant tracheal deviation.
• Histopathological analysis confirmed a follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma.
• The presentation was unusual for a thyroid malignancy, particularly in a young, euthyroid male without trauma.

Conclusions:

• Follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma can present acutely as sudden neck swelling.
• This case underscores the need for a broad differential diagnosis in acute neck swelling.
• Prompt evaluation is crucial for potentially life-threatening conditions presenting as neck emergencies.