Thyroid carcinoma causing fatal laryngeal occlusion.

Pure squamous carcinoma of the thyroid gland is an uncommon tumour and is thought to arise in glands containing metaplastic squamous epithelium. Extrinsic compression or tumour invasion of the larynx causing fatal respiratory obstruction are recognized complications. We report a case of primary squamous carcinoma of the thyroid gland where obstruction of laryngeal mucous gland outflow resulted in fatal laryngeal compression. This appears to be the first description of such a sequence of events.