The Pyramidal Lobe of the Thyroid

Adriano Redler,Domenico Giannotti,Gregorio Patrizi,Felice Sperandeo,Eugenio Gaudio,Paolo Onori,Rina Orkabi,Giorgio Di Rocco,Maria Giulia Bernieri

doi:10.4236/health.2014.618292

Abstract

Anatomy of the thyroid has been extensively studied but the presence of pyramidal lobe varies in percentages from 15% to 75% of cases according to different authors. We therefore investigated systematically this peculiar anatomical aspect. From January 2001 to December 2011, 1002 patients underwent total thyroidectomy in our Division of General Surgery. We analyzed the data collected on the latest 200 thyroidectomies: for all patients pyramidal lobe was measured at removal of the specimen then dimension of the pyramidal lobe after fixation was checked. We found the pyramidal lobe in all cases. In most cases, it was approximately 2 cm (range 1 - 8 cm on fresh specimen). At histology it was described in 72% of cases, after fixation size decreased by a third approximatively. This is the first systematic intraoperative study to verify the prevalence of the thyroid pyramidal lobe. In our experience, the pyramidal lobe is always present and the thyroglossal duct is identifiable.

Highlights

The anatomy of the neck in general and of the thyroid in particular has been extensively studied, the presence of accessory thyroid tissue is not yet fully elucidated
Our experience, based on more than one thousand total thyroidectomies, has led us to reflect on this peculiar anatomical aspect, as another possible reason for the absence of recurrences of thyroid cancer in our casuistic over a ten-year period
All our patients operated for thyroid cancer were contacted and re-evaluated or interviewed by telephone and we found no case of recurrence to be treated surgically, except the case of a patient operated in another center to perform a lateral and central lymphadenectomy

Summary

Introduction

The anatomy of the neck in general and of the thyroid in particular has been extensively studied, the presence of accessory thyroid tissue is not yet fully elucidated. The presence of the pyramidal lobe, How to cite this paper: Patrizi, G., Di Rocco, G., Giannotti, D., Bernieri, M.G., Sperandeo, F., Orkabi, R., Onori, P., Gaudio, E. and Redler, A. (2014) The Pyramidal Lobe of the Thyroid. Our experience, based on more than one thousand total thyroidectomies, has led us to reflect on this peculiar anatomical aspect, as another possible reason for the absence of recurrences of thyroid cancer in our casuistic over a ten-year period. All our patients operated for thyroid cancer were contacted and re-evaluated or interviewed by telephone and we found no case of recurrence to be treated surgically, except the case of a patient operated in another center to perform a lateral and central lymphadenectomy

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