Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The thyroid emergency is a rare and life-threatening condition. These are severe complications of benign thyroid disease.

Patients and method: We report cases of thyroid pathology constituting an emergency and have been collected over 2 years in the department of endocrinology of the CHU Mohammed VI of Marrakech.

Results: Four cases of thyroid emergency were reported: three cases of acute thyrotoxic crisis (CAT) and one case of thyroid abscess. All patients were young, aged 20, 32, 40 and 45 years and were all female. The first case of CAT had complicated a disease of basedow, the other two were on multi-hetero-nodular toxic goiter. All three were revealed by an acute polymorphic table evoking the CAT. The case of thyroid abscess was revealed in a postpartum patient by a sudden increase in the volume of a pre-existing goitre with inflammatory signs. Evolution was good in all patients.

Discussion: Thyroid emergency is a serious pathology involving CAT and myxoedematous coma in addition to infectious pathology. The latter remains exceptional. A rare occurrence in developed countries, it is still present in disadvantaged areas and remains subject to significant mortality if there is no diagnosis and early and adequate management.