Laryngeal varices: an atypical cause of globus

Abstract

Laryngeal varices are rare and are usually associated with vocal cord trauma secondary to excessive use of voice. This report is the first documented case of laryngeal varices secondary to thyroid goitre. This is a report of an 83-year-old woman with a known retrosternal goitre chiefly with symptoms of globus. Retrosternal goitre was found to be compressing the pharyngeal venous plexus causing laryngeal venous structures bilaterally to be engorged along the aryepiglottic folds, arytenoids, posterior commissure and extending in to the postcricoid region. The presence of laryngeal varices carries a significant increased risk of haemorrhage. This case presents an atypical presentation of globus and the first reported case in the literature of laryngeal varices secondary to a thyroid goitre.