Narayan S, Bhutra N, Kumar S, G J, Choudhury A, Kumar N, Shriwastav DUK, Bairwa M. Supraglottic Myxedema Presenting as a Complication of Hypothyroidism: A Case Report.
Cureus 2024;
16:e56903. [PMID:
38659542 PMCID:
PMC11042784 DOI:
10.7759/cureus.56903]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Myxedema is a medical emergency with high mortality rates if not treated aggressively. Here, we present a middle-aged female with complaints of generalized body swelling for one year, shortness of breath, hoarseness of voice, neck swelling, and cough for 20 days. The patient was diagnosed to be having severe hypothyroidism with polyserositis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the neck and thorax revealed extensive soft tissue edema causing airway narrowing, bilateral pleural effusion, moderate pericardial effusion, and features of atypical pneumonia. The patient was started on levothyroxine and antibiotics as per cultures to which she had initially improved; however, she developed ventilator-associated pneumonia leading to sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome followed by refractory type 1 respiratory failure and succumbed.
Collapse