LINGUAL THYROID - TONGUE-SPLITTING INCISION FOR TRANSORAL EXCISION

Two patients presenting to the Central Military Hospital of Beirut wit h symptomatic lingual thyroid are reported. I-131 thyroid scanning rev ealed the lingual thyroid to be the only functional thyroid tissue pre sent in each patient. Subsequent CT scanning demonstrated the large si ze of these ectopic thyroids causing significant mechanical obstructio n These were excised transorally using a posterior midline tongue-spli tting incision and reimplanted in the rectus abdominis muscles. Detail s of this modified tongue-splitting surgical approach are described. A brief review of the literature concerning lingual thyroid and its sur gical treatment is also presented as well as three patients operated o n for lingual thyroid at the American University of Beirut Medical Cen tre between 1975 and 1994 using an external neck incision.