Retrosternal benign ectopic thyroid tissue: A case report with literature review

TL;DR

A 27-year-old woman with a rare retrosternal benign thyroid tissue was successfully treated surgically, highlighting the importance of considering ectopic thyroid in diagnosing neck masses.

Contribution

This case adds to the limited literature on retrosternal ectopic thyroid tissue and its clinical management.

Findings

Ectopic thyroid tissue was confirmed as the cause of dysphagia through imaging and histopathology.

Surgical excision via a low cervical approach was effective without sternotomy.

The patient recovered well with normal thyroid function post-surgery.

Abstract

Ectopic thyroid tissue is an uncommon migratory anomaly of the thyroid, occurring in 1 in 100,000 to 300,000 individuals, with a greater prevalence in females. Although lingual ectopic thyroid represents 90% of cases, extralingual sites, such as the mediastinum, are less common. Despite being frequently asymptomatic, it can present with dysphagia and dyspnea because of mass impact. A 27-year-old Saudi woman with progressive dysphagia and intermittent. Imaging demonstrates a well-defined retrosternal mass distinct from the native thyroid gland. Fine-needle aspiration verified benign multinodular thyroid tissue. A successful surgical excision was conducted by a low cervical approach without the need for sternotomy. Histopathology confirmed benign ectopic thyroid tissue, and the patient had an uncomplicated recovery with normal thyroid function postoperatively. This case highlights the significance of considering Ectopic thyroid tissue in the differential diagnosis of anterior neck masses causing dysphagia and contributes to the limited literature on ectopic thyroid presentations.

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