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.

A case report of coexistence of ectopic lingual thyroid with hypoplastic normal thyroid gland.

Ectopic lingual thyroid along with a normally located thyroid gland is an uncommon condition caused by an aberrant descent of thyroid during embryogenesis. It is more common among females and expresses during puberty, pregnancy and menopause. It is mostly associated with hypothyroidism. Patient usually presents with complaints of dysphagia, dysphonia and suffocation. Treatment of choice depends upon the primary complaint of the patient. We present the case of a young female who underwent tracheostomy to relieve respiratory tract obstruction during puberty and was later diagnosed as a case of ectopic lingual thyroid by radioactive iodine uptake and CT scan imaging. She had an associated hypothyroidism; patient was then put on thyroxine and after making her euthyroid she was operated by transoral route and her ectopic lingual thyroid was removed. She was discharged on a maintenance dose of thyroxin.

TORS excision of lingual thyroid carcinoma: Technique and systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Clinically significant lingual thyroid tissue has a prevalence of 1/3000-10,000, and in 70% of these individuals, the lingual thyroid is their only thyroid tissue. Malignant transformation is exceedingly rare. Herein, we present a case of lingual thyroid carcinoma with a systematic literature review and description of our treatment technique. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Ovid. REVIEW METHOD: The primary author performed a search of the literature for reports of lingual thyroid carcinoma or ectopic thyroid carcinoma associated with the tongue. Articles that did not present novel data, presented cases of ectopic thyroid carcinoma outside the tongue, non-malignant cases, non-thyroid carcinomas, or were non-English articles were excluded. Studies were limited to those published in the last 60 years. RESULTS: There are 39 cases reported in the literature. 23 cases occurred in females. Age at diagnosis ranged from 12 to 86; cases were more commonly diagnosed in the second decade of life, then in the 5th and 6th decades of life. Dysphagia, globus sensation, episodes of bleeding, voice changes, and presence of a neck mass were common symptoms at initial presentation. Nearly all patients underwent some form of pre-operative imaging, but practices varied as to the type of imaging. Treatment included surgical excision of the tumor in all but one case that was successfully treated with radioactive iodine therapy alone. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons should be aware of lingual thyroid, its presentation, workup, and carcinoma treatment. Tumors are amenable to surgical excision, possibly followed by radioactive iodine therapy. Advances in robotic and endoscopic surgery over the past decade now allow for less morbid excisions of lingual thyroid tumors.

[Ectopic thyroid basi-lingual: A case report].

Introduction: The thyroid ectopic gland is a rare anomaly, especially when it's a lingual thyroid. It is characterized by aspecific clinical presentation, causing a diagnostic problem. The diagnosis is based on a combination of imaging techniques as well as histological examination. Case presentation: We are presenting a case of a patient with thyroid basi-lingual treated surgically. Discussion: The low incidence of ectopic lingual thyroid , and their clinical variability requires radiological and isotopic investigations. Conclusion: The diagnosis of this disease is primarily histological. The management of these ectopic thyroid is surgical.

Lingual thyroidectomy: the Mayo Clinic experience with transoral laser microsurgery and transoral robotic surgery.

OBJECTIVES: We report the clinical findings, surgical management, and outcomes for lingual thyroidectomy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective case review of lingual thyroidectomy performed at 3 tertiary-care academic referral centers between 1994 and 2012. RESULTS: Nine patients underwent lingual thyroidectomy for symptoms including globus sensation (6 patients), dysphagia (5 patients), and airway obstruction (5 patients). Before surgery, 3 patients had attempted medical suppressive therapy. Lingual thyroidectomy was performed by transoral laser microsurgery in 4 patients, transoral robotic surgery in 3 patients, transoral surgery without microscopic assistance in 1 patient, and an open approach with a modified Sistrunk procedure in 1 patient. Total thyroidectomy was attained in 7 patients, and subtotal resection in 2. The follow-up averaged 8 months, and all patients reported significant improvement in their symptoms. One patient had a recurrence. Complications included postoperative bleeding and epiglottic perforation in 1 patient and airway obstruction secondary to angioedema in another patient. There was no significant difference in operative times between transoral laser microsurgery (91 ± 16 minutes) and transoral robotic surgery (109 ± 35 minutes). Transoral surgery without microscopic assistance and open resection had longer operative times (206 and 246 minutes, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection of lingual thyroid glands achieves significant improvement in patient symptoms, with low rates of recurrence. We favor a total lingual thyroidectomy approach with use of either a microscope or a robotic endoscope for optical assistance.

A surgical partial excision for the treatment of lingual ectopic thyroid: a case report.

The lingual ectopic thyroid is a sporadic case. Based on the medical records of Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, they only found one case of ectopic thyroid at least in the last ten years. There is no consensus in the literature about the best therapeutic strategy in managing ectopic thyroid. A 20-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of ectopic lingual thyroid. She has complained of lumps at the base of her tongue since she was ten years old. She performed a partial excision of the tumor with a transoral approach. Partial excision of the lingual ectopic thyroid results in an airway free from obstruction, leaving the rest of the thyroid tissue functioning so that the patient does not require lifelong hormone treatment but has the potential for hypertrophy to recur. The transoral approach provides post-operative results that maintain aesthetic function and reduce morbidity and hospitalization. Partial excision of lingual ectopic thyroid gives good results.

Is Transoral Robotic Surgery the Best Surgical Treatment for Lingual Thyroid? A Case-Report and Literature Review.

OBJECTIVES: To highlight the specific outcomes of the current surgical procedures for lingual thyroid excision, for benign and malignant lesions. METHODS: We carried out a systematic review of surgical treatments of lingual thyroid, according to the PRISMA method. We conducted our literature search in PubMed and Ovid. Data was collected concerning patient demographics, tumor characteristics, types of surgery performed, and specific intra- and postoperative outcomes of each procedure. Surgical procedures were classified in 4 categories: transcervical approaches, "invasive" transoral approaches (transmandibular and/or tongue splitting), "non-invasive" transoral approaches, and transoral robotic surgery. We detailed the transoral robotic surgical technique through a case report, along with a surgical video. RESULTS: Of 373 peer-reviewed articles found, 40 provided adequate information on surgical management and outcomes for patients with lingual thyroid. "Non-invasive" transoral approaches and transoral robotic surgeries required significantly fewer tracheostomies than "invasive" transoral and transcervical approaches (P < .001), while there was no statistical difference in the rate of surgical complications between each procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Transoral robotic surgery appears to be a feasible, effective, and fast solution for lingual thyroid excision, with excellent short- and long-term surgical outcomes.

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.

Lingual thyroid: an unusual and surgically curable cause of sleep apnoea in a male.

INTRODUCTION: Lingual thyroid is a rare embryological abnormality that occurs as a result of failed descent of the thyroid gland. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 39-year-old male with an incidental finding of a lingual thyroid during intubation for surgery for lower limb fractures. A sleep study indicated an RDI of 38.6, consistent with severe sleep apnoea. The ectopic thyroid was excised via a suprahyoid approach, with resolution of apnoeic symptoms post-operatively. A follow-up sleep study subsequent to his operation confirmed an RDI of 3.7. CONCLUSION: This is the first time a lingual thyroid causing sleep apnoea has been studied with pre- and post-treatment sleep studies. This is also the first recorded instance of lingual thyroid causing sleep apnoea has been recorded in a male.

Lingual thyroid: case report.

A sixteen year old male presented with progressive dysphagia, dysphonia and haemoptysis over eight months. Radionuclide studies and computed tomographic scans confirmed an only functional thyroid gland at the base of tongue which was excised wholly via mandibular split transoral route and patient put on thyroxin replacement therapy.

Obstructive lingual thyroid; suprahyoid intracervical surgical procedure - A case report. / Tiroides lingual obstructivo, intervención quirúrgica vía transcervical suprahioidea: reporte de un caso.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of lingual thyroid is controversial and should be individualized. Options include hormonal replacement, surgery in the presence of bleeding and obstruction of the airway and the digestive tract, and radioisotope therapy. CLINICAL CASE: 8-year-old girl presenting with discomfort when swallowing. A pink, well-vascularized mass, not painful or ulcerated, protruding from the base of the tongue and virtually closing the whole oropharynx, was observed. Absence of thyroid tissue in its normal position was reported by the ultrasound department. Cervical computed axial tomography confirmed the diagnosis and the presence of pharyngeal obstruction. Thyroid hormone replacement was established. As a result of dysphagia symptom progression, surgery was indicated. Thyroid removal was performed by means of a cervicotomy, with re-implantation of thyroid tissue laminas. The postoperative course was uneventful and replacement treatment was maintained, with an excellent clinical status four years later.

INTRODUCCION: El tratamiento de la tiroides lingual es controvertido y debe individualizarse. Las opciones incluyen el reemplazo hormonal, cirugía en presencia de hemorragia y obstrucción de la vía aérea o digestiva, y la terapia con radioisótopos. CASO CLINICO: Niña de 8 años de edad, con molestias a la deglución. Se observa masa rosada, muy vascularizada, no dolorosa ni ulcerada, que protruye desde la base de la lengua y cierra prácticamente toda la orofaringe. Ecografía informa ausencia de tejido tiroideo en su posición normal. Tomografía axial computarizada cervical comprueba el diagnóstico y la obstrucción faríngea. Se indicó tratamiento sustitutivo de las hormonas tiroideas. Ante la progresión de los síntomas de disfagia, se indicó cirugía. Se describe la exéresis tiroidea por vía cervical, suprahioidea, con reimplante de láminas de tejido tiroideo. Evolucionó sin complicaciones y se mantiene tratamiento sustitutivo, con excelente estado clínico después de cuatro años.

Modified approach for lingual thyroid transposition: report of two cases.

Lingual thyroid is a rare congenital anomaly of thyroid development resulting from failure of the thyroglossal duct to migrate from the foramen cecum to the prelaryngeal site. The lingual thyroid associated with a fetal adenoma is even more unusual. We presented two cases of lingual thyroid, one associated with fetal adenoma. The ectopic gland was transposed into the muscle space at the floor of the mouth using an extraoral midline lower lip, mandible and tongue-splitting approach in case 1, and a transoral lower lip degloving and midline mandibulotomy and tongue-splitting approach in case 2. Sixteen-year follow-up of case 1 and 6-month follow-up of case 2 showed that the transposed thyroids achieved normal function. Case 2 had no visible scar in the lower lip and mental area. Surgical transposition of the lingual thyroid to the floor of the mouth with the vascular supply intact offers a promising approach for the treatment of this anomaly. The transoral lower lip degloving and midline-splitting approach is recommended because of its better cosmetic outcome.

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.

A 51-Year-Old Woman With Hypoacusia and Increased Respiratory Effort in the Supine Position and OSA.

A 51-year-old woman with a personal history of vitiligo, normal thyroid hormone studies, a simple hysterectomy for multiple uterine myomas at age 35 years, and childhood adenotonsillectomy was seen for progressive hearing loss. She reported mild asthenia, cold intolerance, mild dysphagia with frequent choking while eating and drinking, and a progressive increase in inspiratory effort, especially in the supine position. Her partner described a progressively worsening history of snoring and witnessed apneic episodes, mostly in the supine position. Mild to moderate daytime sleepiness was also present.

Incidental lingual thyroid informs surgery.

This case study presents an incidental noting of a lingual thyroid on thyroid scintigraphy that had implications in later breast surgery. This information changed patient management and mitigated risk during intubation for breast cancer surgery.

Transoral robotic excision of ectopic lingual thyroid: Case series and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Surgical excision of an ectopic lingual thyroid has traditionally been associated with significant morbidity and has therefore been reserved for patients with severe obstructive symptoms or suspected malignancy. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has provided a minimally invasive approach to completely and safely excise ectopic lingual thyroid. METHODS: Three index cases were identified from the detailed clinical database of TORS patients. A systematic review of the management of ectopic lingual thyroid in the English literature was performed. RESULTS: TORS-assisted excision of a lingual thyroid gland was successfully performed in 3 patients with excellent functional outcomes CONCLUSION: TORS-assisted excision of an ectopic lingual thyroid is a safe and feasible treatment modality with minimal morbidity, and, in experienced hands, should be offered as a valid treatment for this pathology.

A large lingual thyroid extending to the epiglottis.

A 22-year-old man presented to our department with a mass on the base of his tongue. He had a cavernous voice causing a moderate speech disorder, and he had some difficulty in swallowing. He had severe problems with sleep, associated with apnoea. In a fibreoptic laryngoscopic examination, a large 4×5 cm vascular mass was detected extending from the base of the patient's tongue to his epiglottis. It covered the epiglottis. Thyroid scintigraphy showed only thyroid tissue on the base of the tongue. Surgery was initiated transorally under the guidance of a rigid endoscope, but as the mass continued extended to the epiglottis, a transhyoid approach was taken. At a 3-month follow-up, the patient was symptom free. Electrocautery-assisted resection under the guidance of a rigid endoscope can reliably be used in surgery of a lingual thyroid. However, a transhyoid approach provides a better view and also helps in achieving haemostasis.