Open Access Acute respiratory distress secondary to posterior mediastinal goiter: a case report

which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Large posterior mediastinal goiters are extremely rare. Progressive enlargement and possible compression of adjacent structures, as well as malignant potential necessitate that these goiters should be surgically excised. A review of mediastinal tumors, specifically intra-thoracic goiters is presented along with a case report of acute respiratory compromise secondary to tracheal compression by a large posterior goiter. Case presentation A 59-year-old African-American man with past medical history significant for cervical thyroidectomy for goiter five years prior presented to the emergency center with acute strider and respiratory embarrassment. His oxygen satura-tions remained stable at 99 % on a 50 % non-rebreather face mask with a respiratory rate of thirty-two breaths per minute. The patient had been seen in consultation by th