title: Tracheal laceration after laser ablation of nodular goitre.
abstract: A tracheal perforation was discovered after Nd-YAG laser thermal ablation (LTA) of a thyroid nodule. The LTA is a relatively new method of treatment of thyroid nodules, which consists of delivering laser energy into the thyroid by means of two optical fibres. The patient presented with a multinodular goitre and initially refused surgery, then underwent an LTA of a thyroid nodule. Fifty days after the procedure she started to have symptoms related to a tracheal stenosis and, after tracheoscopy, a tracheal perforation was diagnosed and she underwent a total thyroidectomy plus tracheal repair. The results of the histological examination revealed a goitre with a focal area of papillary carcinoma. This particular complication is likely the first of its kind to be described after the LTA of a thyroid nodule.
authors: Thoracic Surgery Unit, V. Fazzi Hospital, Lecce, Italy. gaetano.dirienzo@libero.it
authors: Gaetano
authors: G
authors: Di Rienzo
authors: Corrado
authors: C
authors: Surrente
authors: Camillo
authors: C
authors: Lopez
authors: Rosatea
authors: R
authors: Quercia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012421:Rupture; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014132:Trachea / Q000293:injuries*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*