Parathyroid carcinoma with tracheal invasion and airway obstruction.

The following report presents an unusual case of a patient with a recurrent parathyroid carcinoma that grossly invaded the lumen of the trachea with a polypoid appearance and brought about severe airway obstruction. The three rings of the upper trachea, including the lower part of the cricoid cartilage, were resected with the tumor, and the airway was reconstructed by end-to-end anastomosis. The present case demonstrates that parathyroid carcinoma can become an intratracheal hazard, as can carcinomas of the thyroid gland, esophagus, lung, or larynx.