Acute upper airway obstruction. Spontaneous retropharyngeal haematoma in a patient with polycythaemia rubra vera.

A case is described of retropharyngeal haematoma due to spontaneous bleeding from the inferior thyroid artery and causing acute upper airway obstruction. Results of the haematological investigations were suggestive of underlying polycythaemia rubra vera. The presentation and findings in this case are discussed.