Transposition of the lingual thyroid: A new alternative technique.
BACKGROUND
In symptomatic lingual thyroid, surgical transposition of the gland with its vascular supply intact seems to have superior results to those obtained by surgical ablation and autotransplantation. However, the procedure should be simple, reproducible, reliable, and cause less morbidity as well as providing simple access to and evaluation of the gland postoperatively.


METHODS
We present the case of a 33-year-old female with lingual thyroid who was treated by transposing the whole gland to the lateral pharyngeal wall through a lateral pharyngotomy incision. The transposed lingual thyroid was nourished by a random tongue muscle pedicle flap.


RESULTS
At the 5-month postoperative stage, iodine scanning reviewed the radioactivity uptake of the transposed gland. Even though the patient was not on postoperative thyroid hormone supplement, her thyroid function gradually returned to normal after initially showing hypothyroid postoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
This new technique for transposition of lingual thyroid is simple and reliable and should be considered as an alternative method in the management of symptomatic patients.
Division of Head, Neck, and Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.
S
S
Rojananin
K
K
Ungkanont
D000328:Adult; D002828:Choristoma / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods*