title: Tracheal necrosis, oesophageal fistula: unusual complications of thyroidectomy. Report of two case and literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thyroidectomy is considered a low-risk operation. The authors report a case of tracheal necrosis after total thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter with bilateral adenomas, and a case of oesophageal fistula after total thyroidectomy for papillary cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient with tracheal perforation was treated by a non operative management after clinical stabilization. The patient with oesophageal perforation underwent surgical treatment consisting of neck drain placement. Both patients are alive after 12 months of follow-up, although the patient who had surgery for papillary cancer of the thyroid gland was found to have multiple diffuse liver and lung metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyroidectomy is a safe surgical procedure, but in some patients major complications may arise. In cases of iatrogenic tracheal or oesophageal perforation, conservative non-surgical or conservative surgical treatment, in specialized centers, results in a favourable outcome. The authors discuss the risk factors and management of these two rare complications.
authors.affiliation: VII Division of General Surgery, Dipartimento di scienze Anestesiologiche, Chiruriche e dell'Emergenza, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. giovanni.conzo@unina2.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conzo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stanzione
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Della Pietra
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Candilio
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiorelli
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000209:etiology; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014132:Trachea / Q000473:pathology*