Surgical treatment of large substernal thyroid goiter: analysis of 12 patients.
This study was carried out to evaluate the clinical presentation, surgical treatment, complications, and risk of malignancy for large substernal goiter. From March 2010 to December 2012, 12 patients with large substernal thyroid goiter who underwent surgery in our Department were enrolled in the study. Their medical records were retrospectively analyzed. Collar-shaped incision was adequate for resection of the lesions in 10 (83%) patients, while two (17%) patients required combined cervical-thoracic incision. In addition, one case was subjected to postoperative tracheotomy. Transient hypocalcaemia occurred in one case. The incidence of transient hoarseness, tracheomalacia and hypothyroidism was 8.3%. There was no perioperative bleeding, thyroid storm as well as other serious complications. All patients were clinically cured. Therefore, cervical collar incision is nearly always adequate for most cases of larger substernal goiter, and sternotomy can be avoided. Furthermore, the application of intraoperative ultrasonic knife can effectively reduce intraoperative and postoperative complications. Aggressive perioperative management is crucial for the successful removal of large substernal goiter.
Department of Surgery for Breast and Thyroid, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University Chongqing 400042, China.
Bo
B
Gao
Yan
Y
Jiang
Xiaohua
X
Zhang
Jianjie
J
Zhao
Yujun
Y
He
Yayuan
Y
Wen
Shu
S
Zhang
Donglin
D
Luo
Substernal goiter; complications; operative approach; ultrasonic knife