RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Acute airway obstruction due to benign multinodular goitre JF BMJ Case Reports JO BMJ Case Reports FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP e228095 DO 10.1136/bcr-2018-228095 VO 12 IS 4 A1 Teresa Dias A1 Arsénio Santos A1 Carlos Mesquita A1 Rui M Santos YR 2019 UL http://casereports.bmj.com/content/12/4/e228095.abstract AB Benign multinodular goitre is a common illness. When accompanied by obstructive symptoms, such as dyspnoea, it carries an indication for surgery. Benign multinodular goitres rarely cause acute airway obstruction. We report the case of a 88-year-old woman who presented with acute shortness of breath and stridor. A chest CT revealed marked enlargement of the thyroid gland, with an extensive intrathoracic component. She was proposed for total thyroidectomy. Her intraoperative course was unremarkable, but the patient passed away in postoperative period from ventricular fibrillation. Recognition of these cases is important, as they constitute a preventable cause of mortality if timely diagnosed and treated.