Thyroid abscess: case report and review of the literature.
A thyroid abscess is an infrequently encountered condition with a rarity that is attributable to anatomic and physiologic characteristics of the gland that impart a unique quality of infection resistance. The differential diagnoses for a painful thyroid is limited, with subacute and chronic thyroiditis being the most often-encountered processes. Acute suppurative thyroiditis with abscess formation, although rare, is a formidable clinical scenario with morbid complications. Because the diagnosis of a thyroid abscess is often delayed in lieu of investigating other more common etiologies of thyroiditis, this disease entity may portend to a dismal clinical outcome. The authors report the case of a 53-year-old woman with a thyroid abscess yielding a single microbial isolate believed to be resultant from a urinary tract bacteremia. They also review the literature for discussion of abscess etiologies, presentations, and management strategies.
Herndon
Mark D
MD
Department of Surgery, Mercer University School of Medicine, Medical Center of Central Georgia, Macon, Georgia 31201, USA. mherndon@juno.com
Christie
D Benjamin
DB
Ayoub
Macram M
MM
Duggan
A Daniel
AD
D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*