Abstract Spontaneous thyroid hemorrhage is rare but can cause life-threatening airway compromise. Rupture associated with a thyroid arteriovenous malformation is exceptionally rare; to our knowledge, only one case has been previously reported. We report a case of an 82-year-old Japanese woman who presented with acute neck swelling and airway compromise secondary to rupture of a thyroid arteriovenous malformation supplied by the superior thyroid artery. The patient underwent early intubation for airway protection, followed by interventional radiology and surgical resection, which resulted in complete recovery. This case highlights the importance of prioritizing airway management and a multidisciplinary approach that combines interventional radiology and surgery for life-threatening thyroid hemorrhage.
Furumura et al. (Mon,) studied this question.