Life-threatening laryngeal edema in a pregnant woman previously treated for thyroid carcinoma.

A woman previously treated for papillary thyroid carcinoma developed life-threatening laryngeal edema during each of two pregnancies. The second episode led to tracheostomy. The laryngeal edema probably resulted from immobilization of the vocal cord(s), possibly caused by the thyroid carcinoma treatment combined with upper respiratory infection and the general tendency toward edema during pregnancy. Patients with a narrow upper respiratory airway must be adequately monitored during pregnancy because prompt intervention may be needed.