Open AccessEctopic thyroid: A rare cause of tracheal obstruction
Author(s) -
K. K. Ramalingam,
Ravi Ramalingam,
Kanchan Dhote,
Sreenivasa Murthy
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.229
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 2231-3796
pISSN - 0973-7707
DOI - 10.1007/bf03008026
Subject(s) - medicine , tracheotomy , otorhinolaryngology , airway obstruction , thyroid , ectopic thyroid , head and neck surgery , airway , surgery , radiology
The endoluminal presence of thyroid tissue in the trachea is a rare cause of airway obstruction. Only 14 well documented cases of intratracheal ectopic thyroid tissue have been reported in English Literature since 1966. These lesions are mostly benign and nearly all patients present with symptoms of respiratory obstruction. We present a case of ectopic thyroid in cervical trachea presenting with symptoms of airway obstruction. Thorough clinical examination and investigations were carried out. A right hemithyroidectomy and excision of a part of the tracheal wall through a tracheotomy was performed for removal of the ectopic thyroid tissue from trachea. The clinicians & radiologists must be aware of this entity to avoid mistaking it for evidence of invasion by a malignant neoplas, and hence this report.