A 76-day-old Japanese Black calf presented with severe stridor, resenting palpation of
the laryngeal region. Endoscopic examination revealed an expansile process restricting the
esophageal and tracheal lumina caudal to the arytenoid cartilage, hyperemia and edema of
the pharyngeal mucosa, right arytenoid cartilage swelling and displacement, and marked
airway obstruction. The absence of an endotracheal wall abnormality impeded a definitive
diagnosis. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a mass (CT value: 40–45 HU) caudal to the
arytenoid cartilage, causing tracheal stenosis and esophageal displacement. The presence
of gas in the mass suggested the presence of an abscess. Diagnosis of deep retropharyngeal
lesions by conventional endoscopic and ultrasonographic examinations may be challenging;
CT can then provide more comprehensive diagnostic information on a lesion.
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