Spontaneous cervical haemorrhage of a parathyroid adenoma

Haemorrhage of a parathyroid adenoma is very rare. The patient was diagnosed following presentation with a sudden onset rasping sensation in her throat, later accompanied by swelling and pain over the left side of her neck. Initial tests found raised parathyroid hormone levels and hypercalcaemia. A CT scan revealed widespread anterior cervical haemorrhage and a lesion at the inferior pole of the left thyroid gland.

After a 3-day stay in hospital for observation, the patient was discharged to be followed up in an endocrine clinic. As the size of the nodule, at just below 2cm, was too small for clinicians to rule out malignancy on imaging along, six months later elective surgical exploration of the neck was conducted. This confirmed the source of the haemorrhage to be a benign parathyroid nodule.