Multinodular goitre in lingual thyroid: case report.
OBJECTIVE
We report a case of a multinodular goitre developing in a lingual thyroid.


METHODS
Case report, and discussion of the embryology and treatment of lingual thyroids.


METHODS
A 66-year-old woman presented with dysphagia secondary to a multinodular lingual goitre. A previously silent lingual thyroid had undergone multinodular change to cause dysphagia and eventually airway compromise. The goitre was excised via a midline, mandible-splitting approach.


CONCLUSIONS
Lingual thyroids have an incidence of one in 3,000 to 10,000. There has not previously been a reported case of such an ectopic gland undergoing multinodular changes and presenting in later life.
Department of Otolaryngology, St Mary's Hospital, London, UK. drzackaria@hotmail.com
M
M
Zackaria
E J
EJ
Chisholm
N S
NS
Tolley
A
A
Rice
A
A
Chhatwani
D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D046151:Lingual Thyroid / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000196:embryology; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods