Surgery for fibro adherent inflammatory thyroid disease

Publication date: Available online 23 December 2017
Source:Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Author(s): David Goldenberg, Warren Swegal, Mitchell Dunklebarger, Phillip K. Pellitteri
Inflammatory thyroid diseases include those which are mediated through autoimmune disorders such as Hashimoto′s thyroiditis and Grave′s disease, as well as inflammatory goiter and sub-acute thyroiditis. In patients with such disorders, the thyroid gland often becomes markedly enlarged with an associated fibro-vascular connective tissue reaction involving the thyroid capsule and surrounding soft tissues. This results in dense, adherent connective tissue which may compress and obscure critical central neck compartment structures and make capsular dissection challenging. Thyroid surgery in patients with fibro-adherent inflammatory thyroid disease are technically challenging and post-operative complication rates are higher for these procedures. Due to these increased risks for complications, operative procedures in these circumstances should be designed with careful consideration of the anatomic changes associated with the underlying inflammatory pathology. Elements important to successful surgical resection include appropriate patient preparation and surgical planning, together with execution of the operative procedure with adaptation to many of the changes induced by inflammation on both the thyroid gland and the surrounding central neck structures.



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