Traumatic laryngeal fracture: A case report

BACKGROUND: The blunt laryngotracheal trauma is a potentially life-threatening infrequent cause of injury that can present with subtle symptoms which often lead to delay in diagnosis if not suspected. CASE PRESENTATION: The authors report a case of a 16-year-old adolescent admitted to the emergency room after a bicycle accident with isolated blunt cervical trauma subsequent to headphones use. The patient presented with odynophagia, hemoptysis, edema, tenderness, linear ecchymosis in the anterior cervical area and no signs of respiratory distress. Cervical computed tomography scan revealed an aligned left side thyroid cartilage fracture. The patient progressed with a complete clinical recovery and at 3 month-follow-up reported no symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Laryngeal fracture is a rare entity in patients with blunt cervical trauma. A high level of suspicion along with a systematic approach is essential for rapid recognition and early treatment, regardless of the severity of the presenting symptoms, in order to preserve airway and voice functions and improve outcomes.