Benign Thyroid Mass Causing Necrosis of Tracheal Cartilage / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Thyroid tumors are usually asymptomatic, but occasionally they can cause upper airway obstruction by compressing the trachea in cases of benign mass or invading intraluminal tracheal wall in locally advanced carcinoma. There were a few case reports of rapidly enlarging benign tumors of thyroid causing upper airway distress symptoms, but there has been no case report showing necrosis of tracheal cartilage by benign thyroid mass. When the thyroid cartilage wall is actually invaded by thyroid mass, we should consider of the possibility of malignant transformation. We experienced a case of unilateral benign thyroid mass causing acute airway obstruction and necrosis of tracheal cartilage. Therefore, we present the case with a literature review.