A case of a temporary endotracheal stent for airway management in a patient with primary thyroid lymphoma

Abstract

Primary thyroid lymphoma is a rare malignancy that can grow rapidly and compress the airway. In such cases, a tracheostomy or thyroidectomy is generally required. Here, we report a case of a 76-year-old woman diagnosed with primary thyroid diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL), with dyspnea attributed to tracheal compression by the enlarged thyroid. The patient's poor general condition meant that thyroidectomy was considered challenging. Therefore, a temporary endotracheal silicone stent was successfully inserted to maintain the airway, as tracheal stenting has been shown to be an effective treatment for both benign and malignant obstructive airway diseases. We conclude that, in patients with primary thyroid DLBL who present with airway compression but are not eligible for surgery, tracheal stent insertion can maintain the airway and allow time for chemotherapy to be administered. Copyright ? 2020 Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery