Abstract
Purpose
Surgical treatment of substernal goiter occasionally involves sternotomy. Classification and handling of these operations are widely discussed. We aimed to review surgical results after thyroid operations including median sternotomy.
Methods
A retrospective review of all thyroid operations performed in the department from 01.01.95 to 31.12.12. In 55 of 2065 thyroid operations (2.7 %), median sternotomy was performed. All hospital journals of the patients were collected and carefully reviewed.
Results
We included 52 of 55 identified patients. Pathologic examinations discovered malignant disease in 4 patients (8 %) and multinodular goiter in 48 patients (92 %). Mean operation time was 4 h and 5 min (n = 48). Mean estimated blood loss was 464 ml (n = 48). Blood transfusion was given in nine operations (17 %). Median duration of postoperative hospitalization was 7 days (range 4–27 days). Pulmonary complications occurred in 11 patients (21 %): six with pneumonia or atelectasis, three with pneumothorax, and two with pleural effusion. Three patients (6 %) had postoperative hypocalcaemia (permanent in two patients (4 %)). Three patients (6 %) had transient voice changes. Permanent vocal cord paresis was not observed in this series of patients.
Conclusion
Thyroid operations with sternotomy are complicated procedures accompanied with considerable pulmonary complications. In spite of a large invasive procedure, the risk of hypoparathyroidism or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was not increased.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
White ML, Doherty GM, Gauger PG (2008) Evidence-based surgical management of substernal goiter. World J Surg 32(7):1285–1300
de Perrot M, Fadel E, Mercier O, Farhamand P, Fabre D, Mussot S, Dartevelle P (2007) Surgical management of mediastinal goiters: when is a sternotomy required? Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 55(1):39–43
Rios A, Rodriguez JM, Balsalobre MD, Tebar FJ, Parrilla P (2010) The value of various definitions of intrathoracic goiter for predicting intra-operative and postoperative complications. Surgery 147(2):233–238
LINDSKOG BI, MALM A (1965) Diagnostic and surgical considerations on mediastinal (intrathoracic) goiter. Dis Chest 47:201–207
Sancho JJ, Kraimps JL, Sanchez-Blanco JM, Larrad A, Rodriguez JM, Gil P, Gibelin H, Pereira JA, Sitges-Serra A (2006) Increased mortality and morbidity associated with thyroidectomy for intrathoracic goiters reaching the carina tracheae. Arch Surg 141(1):82–85
Katlic MR, Grillo HC, Wang CA (1985) Substernal goiter. Analysis of 80 patients from massachusetts general hospital. Am J Surg 149(2):283–287
Rugiu MG, Piemonte M (2009) Surgical approach to retrosternal goitre: Do we still need sternotomy? Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 29(6):331–338
Ben Nun A, Soudack M, Best LA (2006) Retrosternal thyroid goiter: 15 years experience. Isr Med Assoc J 8(2):106–109
Cohen JP (2009) Substernal goiters and sternotomy. Laryngoscope 119(4):683–688
Hsu B, Reeve TS, Guinea AI, Robinson B, Delbridge L (1996) Recurrent substernal nodular goiter: incidence and management. Surgery 120(6):1072–1075
Maruotti RA, Zannini P, Viani MP, Voci C, Pezzuoli G (1991) Surgical treatment of substernal goiters. Int Surg 76(1):12–17
Newman E, Shaha AR (1995) Substernal goiter. J Surg Oncol 60(3):207–212
Netterville JL, Coleman SC, Smith JC, Smith MM, Day TA, Burkey BB (1998) Management of substernal goiter. Laryngoscope 108(11 Pt 1):1611–1617
Marcelino M, Nobre EL, Conceicao J, Lopes L, Vilar H, Jacome De Castro J (2009) Superior vena cava syndrome and intrathoracic goiter: an unusual presentation in the 21st century. Acta Med Port 22(3):299–302
Cheng S (2009) Superior vena cava syndrome: a contemporary review of a historic disease. Cardiol Rev 17(1):16–23
Findlay JM, Sadler GP, Bridge H, Mihai R (2011) Post-thyroidectomy tracheomalacia: minimal risk despite significant tracheal compression. Br J Anaesth 106(6):903–906
Testini M, Gurrado A, Avenia N, Bellantone R, Biondi A, Brazzarola P, Calzolari F, Cavallaro G, De Toma G, Guida P, Lissidini G, Loizzi M, Lombardi CP, Piccinni G, Portincasa P, Rosato L, Sartori N, Zugni C, Basile F (2011) Does mediastinal extension of the goiter increase morbidity of total thyroidectomy? A multicenter study of 19,662 patients. Ann Surg Oncol 18(8):2251–2259
Lifante JC, Fernandez Vila JM, Mingoutaud L, Pourret D, Peix JL (2007) Indications for sternotomy in thyroid surgery. Evolution over 20 years’ experience. J Chir (Paris) 144(3):221–224
Foroulis CN, Rammos KS, Sileli MN, Papakonstantinou C (2009) Primary intrathoracic goiter: a rare and potentially serious entity. Thyroid 19(3):213–218
Randolph GW, Shin JJ, Grillo HC, Mathisen D, Katlic MR, Kamani D, Zurakowski D (2011) The surgical management of goiter: part II. Surgical treatment and results. Laryngoscope 121(1):68–76
Vadasz P, Kotsis L (1998) Surgical aspects of 175 mediastinal goiters. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 14(4):393–397
Conflicts of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rolighed, L., Rønning, H. & Christiansen, P. Sternotomy for substernal goiter: retrospective study of 52 operations. Langenbecks Arch Surg 400, 301–306 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-015-1288-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-015-1288-9