Acute suppurative thyroiditis due to Streptococcus anginosus leading to sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome: a case report

SUMMARY Acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST) is a rare but potentially life-threatening thyroid disease with a high mortality if left untreated. Thus, differentiation from other thyroid disorders is highly important in clinical practice. A 22-year-old male patient was admitted to a tertiary care hospital with cervical pain, palpitations, thyrotoxicosis, and an inhomogeneously enlarged right thyroid lobe. In view of the clinical findings, subacute thyroiditis (SAT) was suspected and treatment with glucocorticoids was started. After initial amelioration, the patient developed cervical erythema, fever, and recurrent pain. A CT scan showed extensive phlegmonous inflammation and abscess formation, suggestive of AST. We started immediate empiric antibiotic therapy and performed surgical drainage of the abscess formations. Subsequently, the patient developed hypoxic respiratory failure, leading to ICU admission and intermittent need for non-invasive ventilation. Blood and abscess cultures were positive for Streptococcus anginosus. If left untreated, AST represents a potentially life-threatening disease. Thus, in clinically doubtful cases, liberal further assessment by means of cervical CT scans or fine needle aspiration biopsy are strongly advised.

Tiroiditis aguda supurada en una paciente con fístula del seno piriforme: presentación de un caso / Acute suppurative thyroiditis in a patient with a piriform sinus fistula: A case report

La tiroiditis aguda supurada es una entidad poco frecuente en pediatría; de origen infeccioso, cuya etiología más frecuente es bacteriana. Su presentación típica en niños es la aparición de una tumoración en la cara anterior del cuello, con signos de flogosis, dolorosa, caliente y eritematosa, que excursiona con la deglución, y puede o no estar acompañada de fiebre, disfagia o disfonía. En niños, las anomalías congénitas, principalmente la fístula del seno piriforme, predisponen a la infección de la glándula, por lo que es importante la resolución quirúrgica del defecto anatómico para prevenir las recurrencias. El diagnóstico rápido, basado en la clínica y los estudios por imágenes, es importante para comenzar en forma temprana con un tratamiento antibiótico adecuado.Se presenta una paciente de 3 años, previamente sana, con tumoración cervical izquierda dolorosa y asociada a fiebre. Durante la internación, se arribó al diagnóstico de tiroiditis aguda supurada secundaria a fístula de seno piriforme.

Acute suppurative thyroiditis is an infectious disease, uncommon in children, caused by various microorganisms, being bacteria the most frequently involved. The typical presentation includes the appearance of a tumor in combination with signs of swelling in the anterior aspect of the neck, which is painful on palpation and is associated with warmth and erythema. It usually moves with swallowing and the patient can suffer fever, dysphagia or dhysfonia. In children, congenital anomalies can lead to the gland's infection, and the surgical excision of them is important to prevent recurrency. A quick diagnosis, based on clinical manifestations and imaging studies, is necessary to install an adequate antibiotic treatment. We present the case of a 3-year-old patient, who was previously healthy, with a painful left cervical tumor associated with fever. During the hospitalization, we reached the diagnosis of acute suppurative thyroiditis caused by an underlying pyriform sinus fistula

Case of concurrent Riedel's thyroiditis, acute suppurative thyroiditis, and micropapillary carcinoma

Riedel's thyroiditis (RT) is a rare chronic inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland. It is characterized by a fibroinflammatory process that partially destroys the gland and extends into adjacent neck structures. Its clinical manifestation can mask an accompanying thyroid neoplasm and can mimic invasive thyroid carcinoma. Therefore, diagnosis can be difficult prior to surgical removal of the thyroid, and histopathologic examination of the thyroid is necessary for a definite diagnosis. The concurrent presence of RT and other thyroid diseases has been reported. However, to our knowledge, the association of RT with acute suppurative thyroiditis and micropapillary carcinoma has not been reported. We report a rare case of concurrent RT, acute suppurative thyroiditis, and micropapillary carcinoma in a 48-year-old patient.

Tiroiditis subaguda y supuración tiroidea concomitante en 1 caso / Subacute thyroiditis and concomitant thyroidal abscedation in 1 case

We report a 41 years old man adnitted with tender goiter, fever, thyrotoxic manifestations and atrial fibrillation. Laboratory confirmed the diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis and treatment with aspirin and propanolol was started, obtaining a rapid relief of symptoms and normalization of heart rate. On the 10th day after admission, severe dysfagia, dysphonia, irritative cough and further enlargement of the neck mass developed. Fine needle aspiration of the mass and thyroid ultrasound lead to the diagnosis of a thyroidal abscess, which was surgically excised, draining 250 ml of purulent material. Cultures were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. Patient was treated during 21 with cloxacilyn and discharged with normal thyroid function. Long term follow-up has been uneventful

Tiroidite supurativa com evoluçäo fulminante em diabéticos / Suppurative thyroiditis with fulminant evolution in diabetics

Os autores apresentam dois casos de tiroidite supurativa em diabéticos tipo II, enfocando a evoluçäo rápida para sepse, levando a óbito um dos pacientes. Diagnóstico precoce, uso de antibióticos e drenagem cirúrgica ampla säo necessários para impedir um curso fatal nesses pacientes. Apresentam também uma breve revisäo sobre tiroidite supurativa