The thymus myth

Conclusions

• (1) Pathological enlargement of the thymus is probably diagnosed far too often, and often on erroneous grounds.

• (2) All other possible causes of upper respiratory obstruction should be excluded before a definite diagnosis is made. Direct inspection of the larynx should always be carried out, and will usually result in a diagnosis of congenital laryngeal stridor.

• (3) Thymic deaths are probably a myth. The error in diagnosis Usually results from mistaking the normal large thymus found in cases of sudden death in children for a pathological condition.