title: Prevalence, diagnosis and management of ectopic thyroid glands.
abstract: Ectopic thyroid tissue (ETT) is an uncommon entity that may be found anywhere along the line of the obliterated thyroglossal duct, usually from the tongue to the diaphragm. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing surgical treatment for thyroid disease between January 2000 and December 2013, seeking for ETT All patients with prior neck surgery or trauma were excluded. The clinic-pathologic features, prevalence and diagnosis of the lesions were collected and analyzed. Out of 3092 included patients, 28 ETT were identified (0.9%). The anatomical site of ETT was as follows: lateral cervical in 6 (21.4%), along the thyroglossal duct in 6 (21.4%), mediastinal in 5 (17.9%), lingual in 5 (17.9%), sublingual in 3 (10.7%), and submandibular in 3 (10.7%). Histopathology revealed 27 benign lesions and 1 (3.6%) papillary carcinoma. ETT is found in less than 1% of patients receiving thyroid surgery. Diagnosis of ETT requires clinical imaging. Surgery is a prudent choice due to the potential of malignant evolution of ETT.
authors.affiliation: Fifth Division of General Surgery and Special Surgical Techniques, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy; Division of General and Geriatric Surgery, Second University of Naples, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppesantangelo@email.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santangelo
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Geriatric Surgery, Second University of Naples, Italy. Electronic address: gipe1984@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellino
authors.affiliation: Fifth Division of General Surgery and Special Surgical Techniques, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy; Division of General and Geriatric Surgery, Second University of Naples, Italy. Electronic address: nadietta90@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Falco
authors.affiliation: Department of the Head and Neck Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.colella@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colella
authors.affiliation: Department of the Head and Neck Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: salvatore.damato@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Amato
authors.affiliation: Department of the Head and Neck Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: m.grazia.maglione@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Maglione
authors.affiliation: Department of the Head and Neck Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: robertodeluca89@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Division of General and Geriatric Surgery, Second University of Naples, Italy. Electronic address: silvestro.canonico@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Silvestro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canonico
authors.affiliation: Fifth Division of General Surgery and Special Surgical Techniques, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy; Division of General and Geriatric Surgery, Second University of Naples, Italy. Electronic address: massimo.defalco@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Falco
mesh_terms: D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002828:Choristoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013961:Thyroid Gland; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D014059:Tongue
keywords: Ectopic thyroid tissue; Surgery; Thyroid