Posttraumatic synostosis between the thyroid cartilage and the cervical spine causing dysphagia.

A 64-year-old man, 7 years after cervical trauma, presented with severe dysphagia of 3-month duration. Computed tomography showed an unusual synostosis between the thyroid cartilage and the cervical spine at C5-6-7 on the right side. A barium swallow study revealed no laryngeal elevation during swallowing. Surgical resection of the bony fusion was performed, and the patient's dysphagia immediately improved without any complications. We report a case of delayed synostosis between the thyroid cartilage and the cervical spine causing severe dysphagia 7 years after cervical trauma. Surgical resection of the bony fusion resulted in immediate improvement of the dysphagia.