Patient Cao Thi T, born in 1950, residing in Nghe An, has had thyroid disease for many years but due to subjectivity and no serious symptoms, she has not been examined. Recently, the tumor has developed rapidly, causing the neck to clearly enlarge, causing increased difficulty breathing, especially when sleeping.
When examined at K Hospital, a CT scan showed that the thyroid had many large tumors in two lobes; in which, the largest tumor in the left lobes was 60 × 69 × 81 mm in size, spreading to the neck and upper media, narrowing the tracheal and compressing neighboring structures.
Doctors assessed this as a case of advanced airway compression, requiring early surgery to release the tracheal chart, improve symptoms and ensure the patient's safety.
The patient was admitted to the hospital and underwent surgery to remove the entire thyroid gland at the Department of Surgery, Quarter 2, Hospital K.
After only one day of post-operative sleep, the patient was alert, communicated well, had normal snacking and especially had difficulty breathing - which had lasted for many years - and improved significantly. The feeling of heaviness in the neck and chest in front of you almost disappeared.
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hau, Head of the Department of Surgery, thyroid surgery is generally not too complicated. However, in cases of giant butterfly, the mediastinal cavity and the emphatic compression of the tracheal gland such as patient T, the surgery requires high caution to avoid damage to the tracheal gland, the renal nerve and neighboring large blood vessels.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hau emphasized: If not operated on promptly, the tumor can continue to grow, causing narrower tracts of the trachea, causing severe difficulty breathing and the risk of acute airway obstruction. The surgery was successful, the patient recovered well and did not record any complications, showing the effectiveness of the treatment plan.
Doctors recommend that people should proactively visit when: There is a family history of thyroid disease, signs of a large neck, swallowing, hoarseness, difficulty breathing, or related risk factors.
