Hashimoto's thyroiditis presenting with severe pressure symptoms--a case report.

A extremely rare case of Hashimoto's thyroiditis presenting with pressure symptoms is described herein. A 50 year old Japanese woman was referred to our department with swelling of the anterior neck, facial edema and recent heavy snoring. Oto-rhinolaryngological examinations revealed no movement of the bilateral vocal cords, severe laryngeal edema and diffuse edema of the tongue and pharynx. These findings had apparently been induced by compression of the bilateral recurrent nerves and internal jugular veins by an enlarged thyroid gland. The results of thyroid function and autoimmune tests were compatible with a diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease and thus, total thyroidectomy with a tracheostomy was performed uneventfully. The resected specimen weighed 168 grams and was confirmed histologically to be Hashimoto's disease. Following her operation, all the above symptoms disappeared and 4 months later, the patient is well and asymptomatic.