Resumen de Cáncer tiroideo: una causa infrecuente de obstrucción de vía aérea superior en niños: Caso clínico
Lisbeth Platzer M, L. E. Vega-Briceño, Hernán González D, Fernando Iñiguez O, Cyntia Escobar F, Francisco Prado A
Upper airway obstruction (UAO) can be a severe medical condition with a high mortality in children. We report a 10 year-old girl with UAO due to papillary thyroid carcinoma. The study confirmed a thyroid cancer. The patient was referred to our centre for the evaluation of dyspnea and hoarseness. She was admitted in severe respiratory distress. Her chest X-ray revealed a critical narrowing of the cervical trachea and extensive infiltration of the lung with a miliary pattern; CT scan revealed a thyroid mass with bilateral pulmonary dissemination. An early surgical approach with total thyroidectomy and tracheotomy was performed. The study revealed a thyroid carcinoma. The patient was then referred to a specialized centre to receive chemotherapy. Recognition of thyroid carcinoma in children requires a high suspicion index. An early CT scan and fiberoptic assessment could show UAO in many unsuspected lesions
