Advances in Lingual Thyroid Management Using Coblation Technology: A Case Series Study

Lingual thyroid is a rare, abnormal ectopic thyroid tissue seen at the base of the tongue. It is a rare embryological anomaly caused by the failure of the descendence of the thyroid gland from the foramen caecum to its normal prelaryngeal area. The main aim of our study is to discuss recent advancements in the management of lingual thyroid using coblation technology. We are discussing the prospective study of 12 lingual thyroid cases that came to the government ENT hospital, Koti, in Hyderabad, from July 2016 to July 2023. All patients were assessed by a detailed history, blood investigations, fine needle aspiration cytology, radiological investigations, technetium-99 scintigraphy, and an endocrinologist opinion. In our study, all cases were hypothyroid and showed difficulty in swallowing and a few cases showed bleeding from the mouth, and difficulty in breathing, hence all 12 cases underwent coblation-assisted excision of swelling and with lifelong thyroxine supplementation. For all 12 cases, demographic, clinicopathological data and radiological data were recorded. Treatment depends on the age of the patient, the severity of symptoms, precipitating factors like puberty or pregnancy, or any other comorbidities with the disease. In our study, all cases were symptomatic and hypothyroid status, hence all 12 cases underwent coblation-assisted excision of swelling and lifelong thyroxine supplementation. All cases were followed up for 2 years with good recovery, minimal patient discomfort after surgery, and lifelong levothyroxine supplementation. Lingual thyroids have a female preponderance. In our study, all were female. Thyroid scintigraphy plays an important role in diagnosis, along with ultrasonography. In all symptomatic cases, surgery with Coblation-assisted excision of swelling is the treatment of choice, with good recovery, minimal patient discomfort after surgery and with lifelong levothyroxine supplementation.

Management of Lingual Thyroid with Second Thyroid Anomaly: An Institutional Experience

Patients diagnosed with Lingual thyroid (LT) may have second thyroid anomaly (STA).Given rarity of dual ectopics/anomalies, standardized management recommendations are lacking. We aimed to describe our experience in management of LT with STA and suggest a management algorithm. We conducted a retrospectivechart review of patients diagnosed with LT between Jul-2013 and Dec-2019. Data regarding demographics, clinical presentation, endocrine-profile, associated STA treatment received, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Eight patients (female-7 cases, male-1 case, adult-4 cases, children-4 cases, mean age-18.1 years, range 6-43 years) with LT were identified. Four(50%) cases had STA in addition to LT (thyroglossal cyst in two-cases, sublingual thyroid in one-case and sub-mental thyroid in one-case) and presented as neck mass. Diagnosis was confirmed with flexible-nasopharyngoscopy,ultrasonography,thyroid-scintigraphy and computed-tomography. Ectopic thyroid(s) was/were only functional thyroid gland with absence of normal thyroid in all cases. Two- cases had symptomatic for LT and were managed by coblation assisted excision of LT in one and I131 ablation in one-case.All adult patients were hypothyroidand received thyroxin.All pediatric cases were euthyroidand received no surgical intervention for LT.Three patients required surgery for STA; Sistrunk surgery in two and excision of submental thyroid in one. All cases were asymptomatic. These results were utilized to suggest a management algorithm for LT with STA. LT patients with STA are more symptomatic and required more surgical interventions in compare to isolated LT. When appropriate, excision of STA with/without intervention for LT and thyroxin is advocated as the treatment modality of choice in LT patients with STA.

A Rare Case of Coexistence Ectopic Lingual Thyroid and Thyroglossal Cyst with Tc 99 m Thyroid Scintigraphy

Lingual thyroid is a very rare anomaly and is usually incidentally found in patients that have hypothyroidism or mass in throat. This case however had another mass in the submandible with diagnosis of thyroglossal cyst. Thyroglossal duct cyst is the most common congenital neck mass. About 50% of cases present before the age of 10 and second group age present in young adulthood. We present a 27-year-old man who presented with sub-mental mass. The patient had also hypothyroidism. A CT scan was performed to confirm the diagnosis. The CT scan confirmed submental cyst and incidentally discovered lingual thyroid along with absence of thyroid tissue in its normal pretracheal position. The patient had symptoms of hypothyroidism and he was treated with levothyroxin. Our case report highlights a rare and unusual situation because of the coexistence of a thyroglossal cyst and a partially functional lingual thyroid.

Does surgical management still play a role in the management of ectopic lingual thyroid: Institutional experience and systematic review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

Management of ectopic lingual thyroid (ELT) must balance the morbidity of disease with the morbidity of treatment. We investigate clinical outcomes associated with modern treatment options and analyze the role of transoral surgery in the treatment algorithm for ELT.

METHODS

This was a retrospective chart review of ELT patients treated at a tertiary care center from 1/1/1979 to 12/31/2019. In addition, a systematic review of the literature from 1979 to 2021 for reports of ELT was performed. Symptoms defined as high-risk were dysphagia, dysphonia, dyspnea, neck swelling, bleeding, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

RESULTS

36 patients within the institutional cohort (IC) and 224 cases in the systematic review (SRC) met criteria. The most common presenting symptoms for both cohorts were dysphagia, globus sensation, and dysphonia. One third of each cohort were hypothyroid, while 3% (n = 1) and 9% (n = 21) of the IC and SRC, respectively, had clinical suspicion of malignancy at presentation. 27% (n = 10) of the IC and 55% (n = 121) of the SRC underwent surgical therapy. There was a 4% (3/72) transoral bleed rate for all patients undergoing transoral surgery. Other reported complications were minor. There were no tracheostomies, and no deaths. Among observed, medically treated, and surgically treated patients, symptoms improved during follow up for 43% or 68% in the IC and SRC, respectively. Following surgery, symptoms improved or resolved for 86% or 93% in the IC and SRC, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Asymptomatic ELTs with no concern for malignancy can be managed with observation. Patients with mild symptoms or hypothyroidism may trial thyroid suppressive therapy or RAI. RAI can be considered for patients with high-risk symptoms. For patients with symptoms resistant to conservative therapy, concern for malignancy or high-risk symptoms not conducive to RAI, surgery should be considered. Transoral approaches offer acceptable morbidity, and most patients experience resolution of symptoms following this approach.

Airway management in patients with lingual thyroid: a case report and review of the literature

PURPOSE

To review the management of patients with lingual thyroid (LT) causing upper airway obstruction and to suggest a diagnostic and therapeutic workflow.

METHODS

A PubMed review of published cases from January 1980 up to December 2020 of LT causing upper airway obstruction. We selected cases of confirmed LTs that presented with non-state-dependent airway obstruction. An illustrative case report is presented.

RESULTS

Twenty-one articles fulfilling the inclusion criteria were found, reporting 24 cases (7 neonatal, 2 pediatric and 15 adults). The main presenting symptoms was dyspnea with increased work of breathing, followed by dysphagia and stridor most commonly in neonates. At least one imaging modality was performed in all patients. Thyroid function was altered in half the patients and normal in the other half. The LT was the only thyroid tissue in all cases except 2. Altogether, 5/24 patients required tracheostomies and two-thirds of the patients underwent surgical resection of the LT (mostly transoral). Also 2/3 of the patients received thyroid replacement therapy. After a median follow-up of 17 months, airway symptoms had fully resolved for all patients but one.

CONCLUSION

While rare, ectopic LTs should be considered in the differential diagnosis of stridor, dyspnea and airway obstruction. In neonates, concomitant presence of hypothyroidism on neonatal screening and airway obstruction should prompt the search for a LT. Early identification and thyroid replacement therapy seem to significantly relieve symptoms of upper airway obstruction, but severe obstruction and concomitant airway lesions may require more definitive management approaches.

Ectopic thyroid tissue in the anterior mediastinum along with a normally located gland

Ectopic thyroid tissue is a rare developmental abnormality arising from an aberration in the normal migration of the thyroid gland, from the floor of the primitive foregut to its final position. It is usually asymptomatic, often being diagnosed as an incidental finding. However, it can present with symptoms of compression such as chest pain, cough, stridor, dysphagia, dyspnea and superior vena cava syndrome. Herein, we present the case of a 42-year-old male patient, presenting with dyspnea, chest pain and fatigue. Laboratory tests showed low serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and a thoracic computed tomography revealed a heterogeneous mass in the anterior mediastinum. The patient underwent a full surgical resection. The postoperative histopathological examination of the mass demonstrated the presence of benign ectopic thyroid tissue with no evidence of malignancy. This case report emphasizes the importance of taking Ectopic thyroid tissue into account when considering the differential diagnosis of a mediastinal mass, as other common diagnoses including lymphomas, dermoid cysts and thymic tumors, require an entirely distinct treatment approach.

The hormonal suppression as first-line treatment of lingual thyroid: A case report

Ectopic thyroid gland is a rare anomaly in the development of the thyroid gland. It is defined as any thyroid tissue that is not found on its usual topography. We present the case of a 62-year-old patient with difficulty swallowing solid food, occasional sore throat, hoarse voice, and difficulty speaking. The patient was in hypothyroid status. Thyroid scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging visualized a nodular mass on the base of the tongue, suprahyoid, and mediosagittal. The pathohistological finding revealed normal thyroid tissue with few colloidal changes, ruled out tumour infiltration and specific inflammatory process. She received hormonal suppression treatment as a first-line treatment. The patient showed significant improvement in symptoms with reduction of the dyspnea and the dysphagia and normalization of thyroid hormone tests.

Enlarged hemorrhagic lingual thyroid managed with transoral robotic surgery

PURPOSE

Lingual thyroid glands are rare embryologic variants of undescended tissue centered in the base of the tongue. Despite notable size, many lingual thyroids can be asymptomatic, though intervention is warranted for progressive or emergent symptoms. We report a rare manifestation of a hemorrhagic lingual thyroid addressed with both interventional radiology and robotic techniques.

METHODS

A previously asymptomatic 41-year old female presented to the emergency department with massive hematemesis after significant binge drinking and vomiting. Emergent intubation was performed and gastroenterology workup ruled out Mallory-Weiss tears or ruptured esophageal varices. Fiberoptic laryngoscopy and imaging revealed a bleeding tongue base mass concerning for malignancy.

RESULTS

Aberrant feeding vessels with identifiable blush were embolized by Neurointerventional Radiology and the patient underwent tracheostomy for airway protection. Lingual thyroid was confirmed by biopsy and the mass was definitively resected via transoral robotic surgery. The patient had no further bleeding events and was decannulated uneventfully.

CONCLUSIONS

Lingual thyroid glands can present with life-threatening hematemesis and obstruction that may masquerade as entities of vascular or neoplastic origin. Management encompasses multidisciplinary diagnostic confirmation, airway protection, and minimally invasive resection that minimizes functional morbidity.

Dual thyroid ectopia with submental thyroid excision using Sistrunk procedure: A case report

Introduction and importance

Having two or more sites of simultaneous ectopic thyroid tissue is a rare phenomenon. Thyroid ectopia should be considered in congenital hypothyroidism where no eutopic thyroid gland is found.

Case presentation

This case describes an incidental finding of dual ectopic thyroid tissue on computer tomography scan in an adult with known congenital hypothyroidism that was previously attributed to thyroid agenesis. The decision was made to proceed with a Sistrunk procedure to excise the ectopic submental thyroid as it became more noticeable after weight loss following bariatric surgery, and to monitor the remaining lingual thyroid with a combination of clinical symptomology, imaging and thyroid function studies given its challenging location.

Clinical discussion

The literature on pathophysiology, imaging modalities, and common considerations for surgical extirpation is reviewed.

Conclusion

The utility of thyroid scintigraphy may be limited in patients with known thyroid ectopia; other investigative modalities are helpful. The Sistrunk procedure was used to excise an ectopic thyroid, based on its embryological migration from the foramen caecum to the usual pretracheal position along the thyroglossal tract, and is a suitable technique for excision of submental thyroid tissue causing an unsightly mass and where thorough histopathological examination is required to exclude malignancy.

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Ectopic thyroid noticed as a submental lump after weight loss surgery

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Congenital hypothyroidism from dual thyroid ectopia, not athyreosis

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Thyroid scintigraphy may not be required with known ectopia locations.

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The Sistrunk procedure can be used to excise submental thyroid tissue.

Thyroid tissue outside the thyroid gland: Differential diagnosis and associated diagnostic challenges

The presence of thyroid tissue outside of the thyroid gland may occur in various clinical settings and anatomic locations and includes both benign and malignant differential diagnoses. Some of these entities include thyroglossal duct cyst, lingual thyroid, parasitic nodule, thyroid tissue within a lymph node and struma ovarii. In routine daily practice, these entities do pose diagnostic challenges for the pathologists. Differential diagnostic considerations depend largely on the location of lesion and the histologic features. A definitive diagnosis may remain unclear in some cases while knowledge is still evolving in others i.e., incidentally detected bland appearing thyroid follicles in a lateral neck lymph node. This article aims to elaborate on the various entities characterized by thyroid tissue outside of the thyroid gland, both benign and malignant, and the relevant differential diagnostic considerations.

Ectopic thyroid with benign and malignant findings: A case series

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Thyroid heterotopy can be a cause of tumorous oropharyngeal and neck lesions.

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We present three cases of ectopic thyroid tissue with compression of the upper aerodigestive tract in the lingual area, thyroglossal duct cyst, and right submandibular region.

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We describe clinical and imaging examinations for diagnosis and treatment.

Introduction

Ectopia is the most common sporadically occurring thyroid heterotopy. We present three cases of ectopic thyroid tissue with compression of the upper aerodigestive tract. The first case involved ectopic thyroid tissue in the lingual area of a 60-year-old male with dysphagia, swelling at the base of the tongue, and stomatolalia. The second case was a 66-year-old female with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in a thyroglossal duct cyst. The third patient was a 50-year-old female with aberrant thyroid tissue in the right submandibular region, with a cribriform-morular variant of PTC (CMV-PTC).

Methods

After resecting the heterotopic tissue and verifying the presence of PTC, the second and third cases underwent total thyroidectomy, and the third patient also underwent radioactive iodine ablation (RAI). Postoperative athyreosis was compensated by permanent levothyroxine substitution.

Results

The diagnosis of ectopic thyroid tissue is challenging. Clinical examination together with imaging methods play a key role, especially postoperative histological examination along with scintigraphy and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Ultrasonography should be used to exclude normally localized thyroid tissue and to distinguish other tumorous diseases. In the pre-operative examination, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) often results in technically-difficult sampling and non-diagnostic cytology.

Conclusion

Resection is the most suitable therapy for clinical symptoms of a foreign body in the upper aerodigestive tract and inflammatory complications; total thyroidectomy follows in case of malignant transformation. Thyroid heterotopy is a rare pathological condition, yet it should be taken into consideration during differential diagnosis of tumorous oropharyngeal and neck lesions.

Dual Ectopic Thyroid Gland in an Elderly Male: Double Trouble?

Double ectopic thyroid tissue is a rare phenomenon. We report a case of a 75-year-old man who was referred with two painless swellings in the anterior midline of neck with a tracheostomy tube in situ with the suspicion of malignancy. Such patients should be investigated completely prior to definitive treatment.

Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis Arising from Lingual Thyroid

Although lingual thyroid is the most common site for ectopic thyroid gland but carcinomas originating from lingual thyroid are extremely rare, accounting only for 1% of all ectopic thyroids. Here we represent a young female with a bleeding mass at the base of her tongue and review the diagnostic approach towards papillary thyroid carcinoma of lingual thyroid. The surgical treatment and follow up are discussed. A combination of radiological studies and histological evaluation should be deployed to investigate suspicious lingual thyroids. The perspective of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for carcinomas of lingual thyroid is the same as orthotopic thyroid tissue.

Laryngo fiberscopy-guided suspension procedure for an ectopic lingual thyroid obstructing airway

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is no consensus regarding the optimal therapeutic strategy for the management of an ectopic lingual thyroid. A surgical approach is suggested when airway obstructive symptoms cannot be tolerated at all, or when bleeding or malignancy occurs. However, for patients in whom ectopic thyroid is the only functioning thyroid tissue, complete surgical excision needs to be followed by lifelong hormone replacement therapy. We report the case of an infant with ectopic lingual thyroid obstructing the airway that was treated using our novel surgical procedure.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 10-day-old male infant presented with symptoms of airway obstruction and subclinical hypothyroidism. Imaging tests revealed an ectopic lingual thyroid and the absence of a normal pretracheal thyroid gland. We administered oral levothyroxine to lower his thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level and reduce the volume of the lingual mass; however, his airway symptoms did not improve. Subsequently, we performed a surgical intervention when he was 2 months old. We split the hyoid bone, and then suspended the lingual thyroid by suturing it to the hyoid bone to elevate the epiglottis. We confirmed the degree of suspension using intraoperative laryngo fiberscopy. After the surgery, the symptoms of airway obstruction were resolved and the patient was clinically euthyroid on low-dose oral levothyroxine.

CONCLUSIONS

Our laryngo fiberscopy-guided suspension procedure can be an effective surgical procedure for the treatment of ectopic thyroid. This relatively simple surgical procedure could completely preserve the patient's thyroid tissue and resolve airway obstruction.

Hürthle Cell Carcinoma in a Lingual Thyroid

OBJECTIVE

To present a case of lingual thyroid Hürthle cell carcinoma (HCC).

CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION

A 37-year-old female presented with dysphagia and recurrent haemorrhage. Histopathology was suggestive of HCC; the tumour was excised by the trans-glossal approach which provided adequate exposure and helped avert external scarring or mandibular osteotomy. Histopathology showed a tumour-positive right lateral resection margin. This prompted referral to nuclear medicine for radio-iodine ablation.

CONCLUSION

Lingual thyroid cases should be followed up closely and fine-needle aspiration biopsy should be considered when in doubt.

[Vesicular carcinoma in lingual thyroid: a rare case]

La thyroïde linguale est secondaire à l'absence de migration de l'ébauche thyroïdienne. Cette dernière se développe sur place, c'est-à-dire au niveau du foramen caecum. Elle peut représenter le seul tissu thyroïdien retrouvé, ou être en association avec une thyroïde normale. La survenue d'un carcinome sur une thyroïde linguale constitue une situation exceptionnelle avec seulement une trentaine de cas décrits dans la littérature. Nous rapportons a travers notre observation un cas de carcinome vésiculaire survenu sur thyroïdien lingual.

Thyroid cancer in lingual thyroid and thyroglossal duct cyst

Ectopy is the most common embryogenetic defect of the thyroid gland, representing between 48 and 61% of all thyroid dysgeneses. Persistence of thyroid tissue in the context of a thyroglossal duct remnant and lingual thyroid tissue are the most common defects. Although most cases of ectopic thyroid are asymptomatic, any disease affecting the thyroid may potentially involve the ectopic tissue, including malignancies. The prevalence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in lingual thyroid and thyroglossal duct cyst is around 1% of patients affected with the above thyroid ectopies. We here review the current literature concerning primary thyroid carcinomas originating from thyroid tissue on thyroglossal duct cysts and lingual thyroid.

Transposition of lingual thyroid gland to the submandibular region by transoral approach

The purpose of this case report is to demonstrate surgical technique of only functional but symptomatic lingual thyroid gland transposition to submandibular region by transoral approach without mandibulotomy and tongue-splitting. A 37-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with dysphagia and apnea symptoms. Physical examination revealed 3cm×3cm lingual thyroid gland was detected at the tongue base. The patient was euthyroid and thyroid gland was not detected in the neck. Under general anesthesia, right submandibular gland excision and transposition of lingual thyroid tissue to submandibular region with dorsal lingual artery axis flap were performed by transoral approach. Thyroid hormones remained normal in the postoperative period. In conclusion transoral transposition of lingual thyroid to submandibular region as a flap without mandibulotomy is a minimally invasive and function preserving alternative approach. Besides preserving thyroid functions, this transoral surgical technique can be preferred by patients who avoid skin incision for esthetic concerns.

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma in lingual thyroid

The lingual thyroid is the most common form of thyroid ectopy. The ectopic tissue may display any disease affecting the thyroid, including malignancies, which have an estimated incidence of less than 1%. To date only 51 cases of lingual thyroid cancer were reported. Analogously to what observed in orthotopic thyroid, papillary carcinoma is the predominant histotype in lingual thyroid carcinoma. The higher frequency of lingual follicular thyroid carcinoma previously reported is possibly related to histological misclassification in some early reports, prior to the standardization of histological typing of differentiated thyroid carcinomas. Nonetheless, the frequency of the follicular histotype is not negligible, accounting for about one-third of the reported cases. Both natural history and prognosis of lingual thyroid carcinoma are poorly known, likely because of the rarity of the disease and the heterogeneity in the therapeutic approach. However, among the cases more recently reported, surgical excision of the mass, either alone or followed by radioiodine ablation, is the first-line approach, with only two cases treated by radioiodine alone. The nonsignificant rate of neoplastic transformation in lingual thyroid should encourage efforts to obtain a widely accepted consensus for the management of this rare condition, along with standardization of either diagnostic or therapeutic handling of malignancies arising in ectopic thyroid.

Lingual thyroid

Lingual thyroid is an abnormal mass of ectopic thyroid tissue seen in base of tongue caused due to embryological aberrancy in development of thyroid gland. Most of the ectopic tissue is seen in the tongue.

Their identification and proper management is essential since they may be the only functioning thyroid tissue occurring in the body. We report a case of lingual thyroid in a 40 year old female patient who was hypothyroid with posterior swelling of tongue. Tc-99 scintigraphy confirmed the clinical diagnosis and surgical excision of entire tissue was done by midline mandibular split osteotomy and patient was placed under lifelong thyroxine replacement. Follow up showed excellent results with minimum patient discomfort.

Normal variations of oral anatomy and common oral soft tissue lesions: evaluation and management

Examination of the oral cavity can provide significant diagnostic information regarding the general health of the patient. The oral cavity is affected by a multitude of pathologic conditions of variable cause and significance; however, there are numerous normal variations of oral soft tissue structures that may resemble a pathologic state. Understanding these variations assists practitioners to discriminate between normal versus abnormal findings and determine the appropriate course of management, if necessary.

Lingual thyroid-conservative management or surgery? A case report

A Lingual thyroid is relatively rare. Of all ectopic thyroids 90 % are found to be Lingual thyroids. We report a case of 32 year old female who presented to us with history of mass on back of the tongue with history of dysphagia.The clinical, biochemical and radioisotope scanning confirms the diagnosis of lingual thyroid with hypothyroidism. Patient was treated with levothyroxine. After treatment, Lingual thyroid reduced in size and patient improved symptomatically.

Glial Heterotopia in ENT-Two Case Reports and Review of Literature

The purpose of presenting these case reports is to highlight the occurrence of heterotopic glial tissue of the tongue and nose in children. So far, literature review has revealed few case reports of such lesions in neonates, but our patients presented with this unique lesion at the age of two and a half years and 3 years. This is a rare congenital anomaly in the tongue, which can mimic a lingual thyroid, teratoma, dermoid cyst etc. Surgical excision is mandatory when the lesion causes obstructive symptoms. The authors discuss the problems in diagnosis, pathology and management and review the literature.

Coblation assisted excision of lingual thyroid

Lingual thyroid (LT) tissue is the most frequent ectopic location of the thyroid gland. We report 5 cases of symptomatic LT and discuss the new surgical approach. Transoral approach and coblation assisted excision of LT was performed. Postoperative follow-up for all patients was like as tonsillectomy management without tracheotomy. It's seem that this approach is much better than other such as tongue-splitting, transcervical transhyoid, pharyngotomy, with an infrahyoid approach, combined cervical and intraoral approach, Mandibular midline osteotomy.

Unusual presentations of thyroid malignancies - a case series

Unusual presentations of thyroid neoplasms have been reported from time to time. Four such cases of bizarre presentations of thyroid malignancies seen in the ENT Department of ESIC Hospital, K.K. Nagar, Chennai, India are presented. These cases highlight certain important issues concerning the diagnosis and management. A review of the literature on the subject is discussed.

Adenomatous hyperplasia arising from dual ectopic thyroid

Ectopic thyroid tissue is an uncommon embryologic aberration characterized by the presence of thyroid tissue in a site other than its usual pre-tracheal location. Single ectopic thyroid tissue is the most common variant, and the base of the tongue is the most frequent ectopic location. Dual ectopic thyroid is extremely rare, and only eleven cases have been reported in the English literature. Furthermore, adenomatous hyperplasia has never been reported to arise from dual ectopic thyroid. There has been only one reported case of adenomatous hyperplasia arising from a single intratracheal ectopic thyroid. We report a case of adenomatous hyperplasia arising from dual ectopic thyroid tissue that presented as a sublingual mass in a 37-yr-old woman. The diagnosis was made through pathologic examination after surgical resection. We also discuss the diagnosis and treatment of ectopic thyroid, along with a review of the literature.

Lingual thyroid causing dysphagia and dyspnoea. Case reports and review of the literature

Lingual thyroid is a rare embryological anomaly and originates from failure of the thyroid gland to descend from the foramen caecum to its normal eutopic pre-laryngeal site. The ectopic gland located at the base of the tongue is often asymptomatic but may cause local symptoms such as dysphagia, dysphonia with stomatolalia, upper airway obstruction and haemorrhage, often with hypothyroidism. Two cases are presented, one in a 62-year-old female and the other in a 42-year-old female, both of whom complained of sensation of a foreign body and progressive dysphagia and dyspnoea caused by ectopic lingual thyroid. Treatment was performed with a partial endoscopic removal and an external cervical approach, followed by substitutive hormone treatment, respectively. Diagnostic procedures and therapeutic options are discussed and a review has been made of reports of lingual thyroid appearing in the literature.

Granular cell tumour of tongue: A case report

Granular cell tumour, also known as Abrikossoff tumour, is a relatively uncommon benign neoplasm, which is more commonly found in females in the 4th to 6th decades of life even though it can occur in all ages. It occurs in all areas of the body but about 45-65% of all lesions are reported in the head and neck region. Intraoral lesions represent about 70% of the granular cell tumours of the head and neck, and account for 1/3 of all cases affecting the whole body. Most of the intraoral lesions occur on the tongue, usually on the lateral aspect, followed by the buccal mucosa and hard palate. Although majority of granular cell tumours are benign, some are clinically aggressive and a few frankly malignant forms have been reported. Some benign lesions exhibit surface ulcerations and this clinical appearance, combined with the overlying pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, seen histologically, may lead to misdiagnosis of malignancy if adequate biopsy material was not taken. A case of granular cell tumour which occurred on the midline area of the dorsum of the posterior 1/3 of the tongue is reported in a 20-year-old female patient. It is interesting because the patient was younger than the average age of occurrence and the tumour occurred in a similar site to that of a lingual thyroid.