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Case Reports
. 2025 Jun 30;17(6):e87042.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.87042. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Acute Respiratory Distress in a Hospitalized Patient Revealing Cervical Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)

Manish Kumar  1 , Sudip Saha  1 , Imtiaz A Khan  1 , Sangita Kamath  1 , Ashok Sunder  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Acute Respiratory Distress in a Hospitalized Patient Revealing Cervical Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)

Manish Kumar et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a clinical condition marked by calcification and ossification of primarily ligaments of the spine and peripheral entheses. It predominantly affects older adults, with a prevalence rate of up to 42% in individuals over 65 years. It commonly presents with dysphagia. Stridor secondary to osteophyte compression has rarely been documented. This report discusses a patient who was admitted for alcohol intoxication following binge drinking and subsequently developed respiratory distress and unexplained stridor during hospitalization. He was intubated twice and later diagnosed with cervical diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). The patient was discharged with a tracheostomy tube in situ and referred to a higher center for surgical management.

Keywords: dysphagia; osteophyte; skeletal hyperostosis; spine; stridor.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Informed consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. (A) T2-weighted and (B) T1-weighted imaging shows normal brain structures and signal intensities.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Sagittal (A) and axial (B) non-contrast CT scans in bone window of the cervical spine. White arrow shows exuberant and bulging anterior-bridging osteophytes causing indentation of the prevertebral space.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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