title: Lingual thyroid: an unusual and surgically curable cause of sleep apnoea in a male.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lingual thyroid is a rare embryological abnormality that occurs as a result of failed descent of the thyroid gland.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a 39-year-old male with an incidental finding of a lingual thyroid during intubation for surgery for lower limb fractures. A sleep study indicated an RDI of 38.6, consistent with severe sleep apnoea. The ectopic thyroid was excised via a suprahyoid approach, with resolution of apnoeic symptoms post-operatively. A follow-up sleep study subsequent to his operation confirmed an RDI of 3.7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first time a lingual thyroid causing sleep apnoea has been studied with pre- and post-treatment sleep studies. This is also the first recorded instance of lingual thyroid causing sleep apnoea has been recorded in a male.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ipswich Rd, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia. peter2734@gmail.com
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Garth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Essig
authors.forename: Balasz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorincz
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.forename: Khoa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D046151:Lingual Thyroid / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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