title: Free thyroid transfer: Short-term results of a novel procedure to prevent post-radiation hypothyroidism.
abstract: The incidence of radiation-induced hypothyroidism (RIH) in patients with head and neck cancer is >50%. The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy of free thyroid transfer (FTT) for prevention of RIH in patients with head and neck cancer.
  
  
  
  Hemithyroid dissection was completed in 10 patients with advanced head and neck cancer undergoing ablation, radial forearm free flap (RFFF) reconstruction, and postoperative radiotherapy (RT). The hemithyroid was anastomosed to the donor site vessels in the forearm. Thyroid laboratory testing and technetium (Tc) scans were performed 6 weeks and 12 months postoperatively to establish functional integrity.
  
  
  
  FTT was successfully performed in 9 of 10 recruited patients. Postoperative Tc scans demonstrated strong Tc uptake in the forearm donor site at 6 weeks and 12 months in all patients who underwent transplantations.
  
  
  
  FTT is feasible with maintenance of function, and may represent a novel strategy for prevention of RIH. © 2016 Elsevier Head & Neck Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1234-1238, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.|Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hani
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Almarzouki
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Rufus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scrimger
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romney
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urken
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seikaly
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: head neck cancer; radiation-induced hypothyroidism; thyroid