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Case Reports
. 2015 Jan-Jun;5(1):104-7.
doi: 10.4103/2231-0746.161103.

Lingual thyroid

L K Surej Kumar  1 , Nikhil Mathew Kurien  1 , M M Jacob  2 , P Varun Menon  1 , Sherin A Khalam  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Lingual thyroid

L K Surej Kumar et al. Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2015 Jan-Jun.

Abstract

Lingual thyroid is an abnormal mass of ectopic thyroid tissue seen in base of tongue caused due to embryological aberrancy in development of thyroid gland. Most of the ectopic tissue is seen in the tongue. Their identification and proper management is essential since they may be the only functioning thyroid tissue occurring in the body. We report a case of lingual thyroid in a 40 year old female patient who was hypothyroid with posterior swelling of tongue. Tc-99 scintigraphy confirmed the clinical diagnosis and surgical excision of entire tissue was done by midline mandibular split osteotomy and patient was placed under lifelong thyroxine replacement. Follow up showed excellent results with minimum patient discomfort.

Keywords: Lingual thyroid; scintigraphy; technetium-99; tongue.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Incision
Figure 2
Figure 2
Oblique bone cuts
Figure 3
Figure 3
Tumor exposed
Figure 4
Figure 4
Tumor excised
Figure 5
Figure 5
Surgical defect
Figure 6
Figure 6
Mandible repositioned and plated
Figure 7
Figure 7
Final closure
Figure 8
Figure 8
Excised specimen
Figure 9
Figure 9
Histopathology shows thyroid follicles lined by columnar cells with eosinophilic colloid inside the follicles
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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