Ectopic mediastinal thyroids: Surgical management and outcomes

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> Ectopic thyroid tissue is a rare cause of mediastinal masses and constitutes approximately 1% of all mediastinal masses. <b>Aims and objectives:</b> The aim of this study is to present the clinical and radiological characteristics of ectopic mediastinal thyroid cases that underwent surgical resection and to share our surgical results. <b>Methods:</b> This study retrospectively analyses 164 patients who underwent surgical resections for mediastinal masses in our department between 2002 and 2017. In 5 out of 164 patients, mediastinal masses diagnosed as mediastinal ectopic thyroids. <b>Results:</b> The median age was 64 years (range, 56–70 years). Mediastinal ectopic thyroid was located in the anterior in 2 cases, middle in 2 cases, and posterior mediastinum in 1 case. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed in 3 cases, partial median sternotomy in 1 case, and lateral thoracotomy in 1 case. The median operation time was 165 minutes and the median size of the ectopic thyroid was 5cm (range, 4 to 7,5 cm). Median chest tube duration was 2 days (range, 1 to 3 days) and median hospital stay was 3 days (range, 2 to 4 days). There wasn’t seen any complication in the perioperative and postoperative period. <b>Conclusions:</b> Ectopic mediastinal thyroids are extremely rare causes of mediastinal masses. These lesions can be localized in different compartments in the mediastinum and become symptomatic by creating compression on the surrounding structures. Surgical resection can be successfully applied in the diagnosis and treatment of these lesions.