Spontaneous fracture of the larynx after coughing

Spontaneous longitudinal rupture of the thyroid cartilage: A management of the rare clinical case

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Non-traumatic rupture or other injuries to the larynx are very rare disorder. According to the published series, there are only 15 cases reported with such kind of injury to the larynx. Despite the rarity of the non-traumatic larynx fracture, it is important to elucidate adequate management for the patients with such emergency. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the features of clinical manifestations, examination, and surgical treatment of a case of spontaneous longitudinal rupture of the thyroid cartilage.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 54-year-old male patient presented with chief complaints of pain in the front surface of the neck, difficulty swallowing and breathing during physical exertion, hyperemia of the skin on the front surface of the neck, and the presence of subcutaneous emphysema. 20 h after the onset of the symptoms, the patient reported breathing difficulties that appeared during physical exertion, and the patient walked to the hospital. Computed tomography revealed a longitudinal rupture of the thyroid cartilage, emphysema of the neck, and the presence of air in the anterior-upper mediastinum. The defect of the ruptured thyroid cartilage was treated by suturing as well as by myoplasty using sternocleidomastoid muscle.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Our case report is in line with others, showing that patient with spontaneous rupture of the thyroid cartilage is the surgical emergency. Our approach of using myoplasty was not presented before.

CONCLUSION

This case report adds evidence and knowledge about such rare disorders as spontaneous rupture the thyroid cartilage rupture. It is useful to apply the technique of myoplasty with sternocleidomastoid muscle flaps, ensuring reliable sealing of the damaged area reducing the risk of failure, and inflammatory complications, and supporting neck functions in the postoperative period.

Two Cases of Atraumatic Laryngeal Fractures

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Atraumatic laryngeal fractures are extremely rare and are most commonly provoked by sneezing or coughing. Only seven cases have been described in medical literature, and only one case described a fracture after swallowing. We present two cases of atraumatic laryngeal fracture after swallowing.

CASE REPORT

A 37-year-old male presented to the outpatient ENT clinic with severe dysphonia and odynophagia. He reported feeling a crack in the throat after swallowing with a flexed head. The patient's physical examination showed diffuse swelling and tenderness over the thyroid cartilage without subcutaneous emphysema. Flexible nasolaryngoscopy showed a large right true vocal fold hematoma with normal vocal fold movement. Computed tomography (CT) showed a fracture of the thyroid. Treatment consisted of corticosteroids and pantoprazole. Two years later he presented again at the emergency department with extreme odynophagia after suffering a knee punch on the larynx. CT showed a new fracture line, slightly off midline to the left in the thyroid cartilage. A 42-year-old male presented at the emergency department with odynophagia, dysphonia, and fever after feeling a crack in the throat during forceful swallowing in an extended neck position. Physical examination demonstrated a painful thyroid cartilage with subcutaneous emphysema. Flexible nasolaryngoscopy was normal but CT scan showed a slightly displaced fracture line of the median thyroid cartilage. Complaints gradually disappeared with conservative treatment with corticosteroids and antibiotics.

CONCLUSION

Congenital anomalies by abnormal mineralization and ossification could lead to focal weakness of the thyroid cartilage and thus predispose to non-traumatic fractures. The double triad of odynophagia, dysphagia, and dysphonia after sneezing, coughing or swallowing should raise the physician's attention to the possibility of thyroid cartilage fracture, especially after feeling or hearing a crack. Further investigation is obligatory with high-resolution CT of the neck and examination by an ENT specialist.

Laryngeal injury in a coronavirus disease 2019 caregiver following voluntary cough-holding within an inappropriately sized personal protective equipment suit

OBJECTIVE

To document laryngeal framework rupture following voluntary cough-holding as an airway complication of donning a personal protective equipment suit that was too small in size.

METHODS

Clinical record and literature review, with proposition of plausible aerodynamics of the airway injury.

RESULTS

Whilst carrying out his duty in the coronavirus disease ward, a resident attempted to stifle a paroxysm of cough when wearing a personal protective equipment suit that was too small with his neck flexed and restricted. There was a sudden release of pressure, intense pain and swelling in the neck with crepitus. Imaging revealed a non-displaced fracture in the lower end of the partially ossified right thyroid lamina, a cricothyroid membrane tear and subcutaneous emphysema. The symptoms resolved gradually on conservative management.

CONCLUSION

This report underlines the importance of donning appropriately sized personal protective equipment and encouraging its proper use amongst coronavirus disease 2019 caregivers. Non-traumatic laryngeal injury, itself a rare event, has never been reported as a posture-related complication of wearing personal protective equipment.

Considerations and Management of a Laryngeal Fracture after Sneezing

Non-traumatic laryngeal fracture is uncommon but should be suspected whenever patients present with dysphonia, odynophagia, dysphagia, neck crepitus, or hemoptysis following a sneeze or coughing episode. Physical examination coupled with computed tomography is essential for making the diagnosis. Management can vary depending on the severity of the case, but the general approach is similar to any trauma. In this report, we describe a non-traumatic laryngeal fracture that occurred following a forceful sneeze. The case was notable for the presence of pneumomediastinum, independent mobility of the thyroid ala, and operative intervention was pursued to repair the fracture.

Non-Traumatic Laryngeal Fractures: A Systematic Review

Non-traumatic laryngeal fractures are an extremely uncommon presentation, and the diagnosis can be missed. Recognizing these fractures is important to appropriately direct management because most have a good prognosis and result in complete recovery. This article aimed to review the characteristics of all documented cases of non-traumatic fractures of the larynx. We sought to address questions related to the etiology, clinical presentation, and diagnostic assessment of this condition and provide recommendations about the management of these fractures. Electronic databases, mainly PubMed and Google Scholar, were searched for relevant literature with no language or time restrictions. Since 1950, 15 cases of non-traumatic laryngeal fractures have been documented in the medical literature. Out of these, thyroid cartilage fractures have been described in 14 patients, while only one instance demonstrated a fracture in the cricoid cartilage. Patients were managed conservatively using voice rest and observation with complete recovery in all cases. All patients who present with odynophagia, hoarseness, and tenderness over the thyroid cartilage after an episode of severe coughing or sneezing, should be evaluated for a thyroid cartilage fracture using laryngoscopy and computed tomography scan. Management of the airway should be the primary priority in any laryngeal injury, and further management performed after the airway is stable.

Forceful sneeze: An uncommon cause of laryngeal fracture

Laryngeal fractures are generally induced by direct blunt or penetrating trauma to the neck. Coughing vigorously or sneezing forcefully is extremely rare causes of laryngeal fractures, with only 4 cases found after thorough literature search. Herein we present a case of a 34-year-old male presenting to the ENT emergency room with throat pain, odynophagia, dysphagia, and hoarseness. Following primary evaluation, through physical examination and imaging he was diagnosed with thyroid cartilage fracture and treated conservatively. The triad of odynophagia, dysphagia, and dysphonia after a severe episode of coughing or sneezing in a young adult male patient should prompt suspicion of a laryngeal fracture.

A Case of Laryngeal Fracture Precipitated by Swallowing

We report the case of a non-traumatic laryngeal fracture precipitated by swallowing where the symptoms were initially misinterpreted as representing a possible laryngeal malignancy. By the time of diagnosis, the injury was associated with an anterior neck abscess that required urgent surgical intervention. A 61-year-old male presented with dysphonia, odynophagia and neck swelling that had begun shortly after feeling a sudden crack in his neck upon swallowing. This was initially suspected to represent a laryngeal malignancy until, while awaiting outpatient investigation, the patient re-presented with rapid progression of his symptoms. Urgent CT scan revealed a vertical fracture of the thyroid cartilage, and a large anterior neck abscess causing posterior displacement. This required urgent surgical drainage. No underlying neoplasm was found, and the patient made a full recovery with complete resolution of symptoms. Non-traumatic laryngeal fractures are extremely rare. This case demonstrates the diagnostic challenge they can pose and is the first to describe the presentation and surgical management of a case with fracture displacement due to localised infection.

Unique presentation of cricoid cartilage fracture causing intermittent dyspnea without preceding trauma

Cricoid cartilage fracture is generally caused by significant neck trauma and causes continuous dyspnea, neck pain, or hoarseness developing immediately after the traumatic episode. A 69-year-old woman without any history of trauma was admitted to our hospital with intermittent dyspnea. Six months before admission she had started to complain of dyspnea occurring several times a month without warning, improving spontaneously within a few hours without treatment. Her primary care doctor diagnosed asthma and she was treated with inhaled short-acting beta agonists and glucocorticoids, without improvement. On initial evaluation at our hospital, the cause of dyspnea was unclear. Laryngoscopy was performed, which excluded vocal cord dysfunction. A further attack of dyspnea occurred on the fourth admission day. Stridor was evident during the attack, and bronchoscopy revealed subglottic narrowing of the trachea on both inspiration and expiration with no mass or foreign objects. Computed tomography (CT) of the neck revealed cricoid cartilage fracture causing airway narrowing and dyspnea. She was orally intubated, and tracheostomy was performed 2 weeks later to maintain her airway, which resolved her dyspnea. This patient's presentation was unique in two aspects. First, there was no history of trauma that may cause her cricoid cartilage fracture. Second, her symptoms of dyspnea were intermittent rather than continuous. These aspects led to suspicions of other diseases such as asthma or vocal cord dysfunction, thus delaying the diagnosis. Cricoid cartilage fracture should be considered in patients with dyspnea of unknown cause, irrespective of continuous or intermittent symptoms and preceding traumatic episodes.

Nontraumatic Laryngeal Fractures: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Laryngeal fractures occur mainly in the context of cervical trauma, hanging, or strangulation. Nontraumatic laryngeal fractures are rare and there are few reports in the literature. We present two cases of nontraumatic laryngeal fractures evaluated in our service.

Voice Assessment After Treatment of Subacute and Chronic Cough With Inhaled Steroids

INTRODUCTION

Inhaled steroids are widely used for persistent cough treatment. Although the side effects of long-term inhaled steroids have been well described in the literature, their laryngeal side effects after short-term use have not yet been defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 1 month application of inhaled steroid treatment on voice parameters in patients with subacute or chronic cough. Furthermore, the efficacy of inhaled steroids on cough was investigated, as well.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study included 46 patients (27 females and 19 males) with a persistent cough lasting at least 3 weeks and treated with inhaled steroids. All patients were examined by a pulmonologist and lung auscultation where a posteroanterior chest X-ray and spirometry were performed. The patients were also examined by an otolaryngologist. Anterior rhinoscopy, flexible fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy, and laryngostroboscopy were performed. Also, the patients' acoustic voice analyses were performed and recorded using a multidimensional voice program. Cough symptom index (CSI) scores were used to evaluate the response to treatment. Patients with an underlying disease that was unresponsive to inhaled steroids were excluded from study. The 46 patients were administered inhaled budesonide 400 mcg twice a day, for 1 month, and their acoustic voice analyses were performed again at the end of the treatment. In addition, CSI scores were determined after stopping medication.

RESULTS

When pretreatment and posttreatment acoustic voice analysis parameters (Fo, Jita, Jitt, Shim, APQ, vAm, and NHR) were compared, statistically significant differences were detected for vAm (P = 0.001) and F0 (P0.003). After treatment with inhaled steroids, the CSI score reduced from 3 to 1 (median), and the difference was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhaled budesonide treatment in the proper dose seems to be an effective treatment for persistent cough, in the selected patient group. In addition, short-term budesonide application did not cause any negative effects on the voice parameters in these patients. These findings may be related to the steroid formulation used, the application method, and the duration of treatment. Further studies are needed on a larger group of patients with different formulations of inhaled steroids to clarify aforementioned issues.

Laryngeal fracture after coughing

Nontraumatic laryngeal fractures are exceedingly rare disease entities. Only 3 prior instances have been described in the medical literature (Br Med J 1950;1:1052; Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp 2007;58:73-4; Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2012;147:801-2). We present a case of thyroid cartilage fracture and associated phlegmon formation after a vigorous coughing spell in a 47-year-old man. On presentation, the patient's symptoms included the triad of odynophagia, dysphagia, and dysphonia as well as diffuse swelling and tenderness over the thyroid cartilage. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mildly displaced anterior thyroid cartilage fracture as well as a phlegmon in the strap muscle compartment adjacent to the fracture (Figs. 1 and 2). Intravenous dexamethasone and antibiotics were initiated, and the patient was admitted to the medical intensive care unit. On fiberoptic examination with the flexible laryngoscope, the patient was found to have slightto-moderate watery edema of the right aryepiglottic fold and right greater than left arytenoid cartilages. After 48 hours, the patient's neck swelling and pain significantly improved. On hospital day 4, the patient was discharged with a course of oral antibiotics. One week later, the patient reported only mild odynophagia and persistent dysphonia. He otherwise felt well and was tolerating fluids and soft food without difficulty. A preexisting, congenital abnormality resulting in a focal weakness in the thyroid cartilage might predispose patients to nontraumatic fractures (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2012;147:801-2). Patients in prior case reports of nontraumatic laryngeal fractures presented with similar symptoms (Table). The triad of odynophagia, dysphagia, and dysphonia after a severe coughing or sneezing episode should raise the clinician's suspicion of a thyroid cartilage fracture.