Non-Traumatic Cricoid Cartilage Fracture: An Unusual Presentation of a Case Report

Cricoid cartilage fracture is a rare clinical entity, most commonly resulting from significant blunt neck trauma. Non-traumatic or spontaneous fracture of the cricoid cartilage is exceedingly rare, with only a single case reported in the literature to date. Typical clinical features include the sudden onset of continuous stridor, neck pain, and hoarseness of voice following trauma. The case of a male patient who presented with sudden onset stridor, change in voice, and neck pain following a bout of forceful coughing, without any history of external trauma is reported. Radiological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of cricoid cartilage fracture. The patient underwent an emergency tracheostomy to secure the airway and was subsequently managed conservatively with intravenous antibiotics and tapering steroid therapy. He showed good clinical recovery and was successfully decannulated.