Retrosternal goitre, presentation and treatment outcome

To assess the clinical presentation, surgical out come and complications of retrosternal goitre [RSG]. A descriptive retrospective study. Departments of Ear Nose Throat and Head and Neck Surgery, Fatima Hospital Baqai Medical University and Civil Hospital Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, between January 2002 to March 2008. Twenty seven patients of both gender and different ages of retrosternal goitre who under went for thyroidectomy between January 2002 to March 2008 were studied regarding their clinical presentation, and surgical outcome. Only two [7.4%] of our patients were presented with acute air way obstruction. Six [22.2%] patients were complained of dsypnoea only in supine posture, dysphagia and hoarseness were noticed in 3[11.1%] and 1 [3.7%] patients respectively while fifteen [51.5%] were asymptomatic apart from the obvious neck swelling. Total thyroidectomy was performed in twenty two [81.4%] cases and lobectomy with isthemectomy was done in five [18.1%] patients. CT scan was done in seven [25.9%] cases. Majority of our cases i.e. twenty five [92.6%] were benign while malignancy was noted in only two [7.4%] cases. Complications noted was haematoma formation in one [3.7%], recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in four [14.8%], hypoparathyroidism [transient] was recorded in three [11.1%] patients, and wound infection was observed in two [7.4%] patients. There was no mortality pre and post-operatively and no case of permanent hypoparathyroidism was noted where as only one patient had permanent unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Retrosternal goitre is often asymptomatic and thyroidectomy is the treatment of choice with very low mortality and morbidity