Benign thyroid hyperplasia presenting as bilateral vocal cord paralysis. Complete remission following surgery

A 52-year-old woman developed respiratory arrest on two separate occasions that required mechanical ventilation. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy demonstrated bilateral vocal cord paralysis, and a CT scan of the neck demonstrated a right neck mass. On surgical exploration, the mass was found extending from the thyroid gland and was identified as benign thyroid tissue. Thyroid hyperplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bilateral vocal cord paralysis.