Photoclinic Challenge

Why Does This 74-Year-Old Man Have a Hoarse Voice and Difficulty Swallowing Food?

Volume 64 - Issue 2 - February 2024

Consultant360’s Photoclinic Challenge is an interactive quiz based on an image featured in a Photoclinic article. View the slideshow for a brief overview of the case, patient history, and a key hint. For more Photoclinic Case Reports, visit our archive.

Figure. Lateral x-ray showing hypopharynx (the "thumb sign") and a narrowing of airways.

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Any views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and/or participants and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy, or position of Consultant360 or HMP Global, their employees, and affiliates.

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Case. A 74-year-old man with a history of COPD presented to the ED with hoarseness of his voice and difficulty eating 2 days prior to his hospital admission.

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Patient history. The patient had a muffled voice and difficulty swallowing food. He did not complain of coughs, sputum production, difficulty breathing, fevers, drooling or swelling of the neck, lips, or tongue.

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Diagnostic testing. Labs showed a WBC of 11.9 × 103/μL (ref: 4.0-11.0 × 103/μL); a monocyte count of 0.9% (ref: 0-10%), and an absolute neutrophil count of 8.8 (ref: 2.0-7.5 × 103/μL).

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Key hint. The patient's imaging included a lateral soft tissue neck x-ray, which showed a thickened epiglottis.

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Why Does This 74-Year-Old Man Have a Hoarse Voice and Difficulty Swallowing Food?

© 2023 HMP Global. All Rights Reserved.Any views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and/or participants and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy, or position of Consultant360 or HMP Global, their employees, and affiliates.

© 2023 HMP Global. All Rights Reserved.
Any views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and/or participants and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy, or position of Consultant360 or HMP Global, their employees, and affiliates.