We present a case with thyroid cancer in a patient with congenital thyroid hemiagenesis (absence of left lobe). This anatomic variation was diagnosed preoperatively by ultrasonography in a patient with nodular thyroidopathy in the right lobe; ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA_ confirmed the diagnosis of cancer. Recognition of this rare anatomical variant is important for the surgeon to avoid aggressive and potentially hazardous surgical manipulations during surgery to find the missing thyroid lobe.

No abstract

Thyroid-only metastases from other primary cancers are rare and associated with poor prognosis. Breast cancer typically metastasizes to lymph nodes, liver and lungs, while isolated metastases to the thyroid gland are exceptionally rare and often difficult to suspect and differentiate from thyroid cancer (and most frequently poorly differentiated thyroid cancer), even by using fine needle aspiration. A patient with a history of breast cancer (4 years ago) with thyroid-only metastases is presented. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems are discussed and the relevant literature is briefly reviewed. The novelty of this data is that intrathyroid-only metastases from breast cancer are extremely uncommon and indicate generalized disease, and preoperative diagnosis can be difficult, even by using ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration.

Esophagocutaneous fistula is a very uncommon complication following thyroidectomy. We present a patient with this complication following thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer. A high index of suspicion is required from the surgeon to recognize this complication early. Diagnosis should be confirmed by esophagography and treatment is typically conservative. Meticulous surgical technique is required to avoid morbidity following thyroid surgery, including this uncommon and potentially severe complication.

No abstract