Abstract

We present a case of intra-tracheal thyroid tissue in a 44 year old woman who had been treated for multi-nodular goiter with left thyroidectomy 26 years earlier, the thyroid tissue was found in the trachea lumen which may appears to have been implanted at the time of this operation or it is a case of ectopic thyroid tissue. The patient presented with progressive right thyroid lobe swelling. Clinical examination and investigations were carried out. Right thyroidectomy was performed first, then after discovering in laryngostroboscopy, CT scan and MRI, the presence of intra-tracheal lesion narrowing the airways, patient had another procedure to remove the residual left thyroid lobe and the intra-tracheal tissue which was thyroid tissue as confirmed by histology examination. Post-operative I131 whole body-scan showed ectopic thyroid tissue in nasopharynx and residual tissue in thyroid bed. Currently the patient is free of complaint, but further investigation: SPECT-CT Scan was requested for better localization.

Keywords: Thyroid gland, Ectopic thyroid, Implanted thyroid tissue, Trachea