COMBINED CERVICAL AND INTRAORAL APPROACH TO LINGUAL THYROID - A CASE-REPORT

Background. Lingual thyroid is a rare anomaly that may require surgica l intervention. Lesions have been approached either via the neck or tr ansorally. Advantages and limitations exist with each technique. Metho ds. A 10-year-old female on long-term suppression therapy for lingual thyroid developed progressive dysphagia; surgical excision was perform ed. Suprahyoid pharyngotomy was used to dissect the posterior limits o f the tumor. Resection was completed via a transoral approach. Results . Cervical exposure allowed safe access to the posterior tumor margins . Transoral exposure permitted direct dissection of the anterior margi n of the lesion, rendering complete excision simple. Conclusion. A com bined surgical approach to lingual thyroid is a safe technique that af fords excellent visualization and facilitates resection. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.