An unusual case of strider due to osteophytes of the cervical spine: (Forestier's disease)

Strider is a noisy breathing caused by compromised airway in the larynx and trachea. The causes can either be due to intrinsic or extrinsic compressio n. Strider resulting from extrinsic compression due to anterior cervical os teophytes is rare. We report an unusual case of acute strider due to an osteophytic mass in th e cervical vertebrae resulting in a mechanical upper airway obstruction. Th e underlying pathology was Forestier's disease or diffuse idiopathic skelet al hyperostosis (DISH). Strider is a rare manifestation of DISH and it cert ainly represents the most life-threatening one. Only a few cases have been reported in the English literature and are mainly secondary to impaired fun ction of the vocal folds, or postcricoid ulceration and oedema. We present such a case, in that strider was the result of direct airway obstruction by the osteophytic mass and an emergency tracheostomy had to be performed to establish an airway.