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Isolated Cricoid Fracture and Thyroid Hematoma in Blunt Injury of the Neck

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Abstract

Introduction Blunt trauma to the neck may result in life threatening injuries due to airway compromise. Thyroid Injury in a previously normal gland is rare, so is Isolated Cricoid Fracture. The expanding thyroid hematoma and an unstable larynx compound the effects of compression and lead to sudden deterioration of the patient. Case Report We report the case of young male, who sustained a blunt injury in front of the neck. He developed a swelling in the front of his neck and suddenly deteriorated, needing intubation and airway management. Computed Tomographic imaging of the neck showed thyroid hematoma and fracture of the cricoid ring requiring an emergency hemi thyroidectomy and fixation of the cricoid fracture. Discussion This case brings forth the occurrence of two rare entities, Thyroid hematoma and Isolated Cricoid fracture in the same patient needing expert airway management and exploration.

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Acknowledgements

We also declare work described has not been published previously and that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, including electronically without the written consent of the copyright-holder.

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The authors have no interest or relationship, financial or otherwise including but not limited to: patent or stock ownership, membership of a company board of directors, membership of an advisory board or committee for a company, and consultancy for or receipt of speaker's fees from a company. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Correspondence to M. Shwetha Shenoy.

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Shenoy, M.S., Mathew, V., Mathews, I. et al. Isolated Cricoid Fracture and Thyroid Hematoma in Blunt Injury of the Neck. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 74 (Suppl 3), 5028–5032 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-02659-w

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