[Transoral resection of thyroid cancer metastasis to retropharyngeal lymph node].
OBJECTIVE
Retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma is uncommon. Traditional extirpative procedures include cervical, cervical-parotid, and transmandibular approaches. The authors report the case of a patient with a retropharyngeal node metastasis originating from papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland that was successfully removed by a transoral approach.


METHODS
A 49-year-old man presented for removal of a retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis measuring 21 mm x 27 mm from papillary thyroid carcinoma. Surgical excision was performed through a transoral approach using a surgical navigation system to assess the location of the node precisely.


RESULTS
The postoperative course was uneventful with return to a normal diet on the first postoperative day and hospital discharge on the second postoperative day. Three months after surgery, TSH-stimulated thyroglobulin was undetectable.


CONCLUSIONS
The transoral approach to retropharyngeal space is a reliable procedure with low morbidity compared to other approaches. The limited surgical access provided by this approach should limit its use to removal of well-circumscribed lesions not invading adjacent structures.
Laccourreye
L
L
Service d'ORL et de chirurgie cervicofaciale, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49933 Angers cedex 9, France. lalaccourreye@chu-angers.fr
Breheret
R
R
Rohmer
V
V
Dubin
J
J
Bizon
A
A
D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome