Non tutto ciò che sibila è wheezing: dispnea persistente da massa cervico-mediastinica

The paper presents the case of a 13-month-old girl admitted to the Emergency Unit with progressive respiratory failure, initially misdiagnosed as asthmatic bronchitis or foreign body aspiration. Due to her rapid clinical deterioration and an exceptionally difficult intubation, urgent imaging was performed. Chest X-ray and CT scan revealed a large cervical mass extending into the thorax, which caused significant airway deviation and obstruction. The mass was identified as a stage L2 neuroblastoma. The described case emphasises the need to include extrinsic oncological compression in the differential diagnosis of acute respiratory distress, especially when patients do not respond to conventional treatments or present physical impediments during life-saving procedures.