Is sternotomy always necessary for the treatment of mediastinal ectopic thyroid goiter?

Abstract

Ectopic thyroid goiter accounts approximately for 1% of all substernal goiters and for 10-15% of all mediastinal masses. Sternotomy is generally accepted as the most adequate approach for the removal of ectopic thyroid goiters of the anterior mediastinum. We report two cases of mediastinal ectopic goiter removal through a cervical incision, without sternotomy. The technique is based on a careful and gentle traction of the mass by means of traction stitches and simultaneously on a blunt digital dissection, in order to exteriorize the lesion in the neck, as much as necessary to ligate its vascular pedicle before completing the removal. When performed with caution and precision, this approach can avoid sternotomy in selected patients with ectopic thyroid goiter.