What is Retrosternal Goiter?

Retrosternal goiter is a type of goiter known as internal goiter. The enlargement of the thyroid gland in retrosternal goiter and the resulting mass progresses secretly and silently for many years in the chest cavity. During this progression period, the patient does not have any complaints or symptoms in some cases. In most cases, the thyroid gland contains a nodule in the retrosternal goiter. These nodules, which are usually in the thoracic cavity, can sometimes be attached to the bones of the chest or can be found in the thorax close to the heart.

The probability of these nodules to be cancerous masses is very low. However, even if it is not cancerous tissue, it should be removed by surgical intervention. The reason for this is that it grows and expands in the body, changing the direction of the trachea or; It is the blockage of the blood vessels leading from the heart to the brain. With these damages, it causes circulatory disorder in the body.

Since the retrosternal goiter of these patients presses on the trachea, there is a narrowing in air exchange. For this reason, it is necessary to be careful while giving anesthesia during the surgery, and the patient's breathing is constantly monitored. Obstruction of the patient's airway while the tube is being inserted is a common situation. Delay in treatment in this disease complicates the time and application of surgical intervention. As soon as the diagnosis is made, the time for surgery should be determined and preparations should be made. Each passing time period allows the tumor to grow.

Retrosternal goiter is mostly located at neck level, close to the trachea. Nodules can be removed by making a small incision in the neck where the thyroid is located. This does not cause the patient to experience loss of voice or any difficulty in breathing. However, surgeons take care with careful and micro-surgical procedures since they change the structure of the parathyroid glands of these tumors during the operation. In rare cases, structural changes can be observed in the vagus nerve or the phrenic nerve due to the pushing of the trachea.

In some cases, due to the mass extending down from the neck, an incision must be made not only in the neck but also in the chest cavity. Here, the tumor tissue is removed with an incision such as a bypass surgery scar, and the inside is cleaned and the formation of a tumor is tried to be prevented here again. There is no problem in wound healing, and the patient can return to his normal life in a short time.