Triple Ectopic Thyroid Excision by Robotic Surgery via Trans-Oral and Post-Auricular Approach Report of a Case

Man-Wei Hua, Wen-Chun Lin and Chen-Chi Wang

Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan
School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan
School of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan
Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Asia University, Taiwan

^*Correspondance to: Chen-Chi Wang 

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Abstract:

Background: Ectopic thyroid refers to the presence of thyroid tissue in locations other than the normal anterior lower neck region. Lingual thyroid is the most common type accounting for 90% of cases. The other locations at head and neck region or other places distant from neck have also been documented. However, multiple ectopic thyroids are extremely rare. In asymptomatic cases, observation is preferred. Further intervention would be recommended in those having obstructive symptoms, hormone dysfunction or suspicion of malignancy.Case Summary: In this paper, we would like to report a patient with long history of triple ectopic thyroids at tongue base and neck region over submental and hyoid bone level. She denied surgery before for fear of possible cosmetic deformity and tracheostomy by devastating conventional open surgery. However, the ectopic thyroids enlarged recently and caused her dysphagia with severe foreign body sensation. Malignant transformation should be ruled out too with this scenario. In recent years, da-Vinci robot has been used for minimal invasive trans-oral excision of upper aerodigestive tumors without tracheostomy. It also has been used in post-aural approach for removing cervical tumors with better cosmetic outcome by hidden scar. We performed both aforementioned robotic surgeries for her and successfully removed three tumors without tracheostomy or major complications. She is satisfied with the functional and cosmetic results after 2 year follow up.Conclusion: Multiple ectopic thyroids over tongue base and neck region could be removed by robotic surgery with less invasiveness and better cosmetic results.

Keywords:

Case report; Da-Vinci robot; Ectopic thyroid; Robotic surgery; Trans-oral

Cite the Article:

Hua M-W, Lin W-C, Wang C-C. Triple Ectopic Thyroid Excision by Robotic Surgery via Trans-Oral and Post- Auricular Approach Report of a Case. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2019; 4: 1680.