The Effects of Thyroid Gland Volume and Weight on Surgical Approach Selection and Anesthesia Management in Retrosternal Goiter

Retrosternal goiter surgery is a technically challenging procedure. Selecting the appropriate surgical approach is critical in preventing surgical and anesthesia complications.

This retrospective clinical study aimed to investigate the role of thyroid volume and weight in the development of retrosternal goiter and the importance of special anesthesia management in patients with retrosternal goiter, which is a potentially difficult airway candidate.

Retrosternal goiter was detected in 125 patients through ultrasonography. Patients were divided into cervical surgery (CA) and sternotomy (ECA) groups. Volumetric measurements were performed ultrasonographically. Patients' demographics, preoperative thyroid ultrasonography features, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)classifications, Mallampati classifications, intubation characteristics, perioperative and postoperative patient data, and postoperative thyroid specimen weights were recorded.

A total of 106 patients (32 male and 74 female) were operated on for bilateral total thyroidectomy. Total thyroidectomy was performed with CA in 98 (92.5%) patients and with ECA in 8 (7.5%) patients. Malignancy was detected in 4 (3%) of 106 operatedcases. All of the malignant cases were seen in patients with a cervical approach. When the volumetric measurements of both groups were compared, the volume values were significantly higher in the ECA group (P=0.032).67 patients were ASA I and 39 patients were ASA II. 64 patients were defined as Mallampati Class I, 36 patients as MallampatiClass II, and 6 patients as Mallampati Class III. Intubation was performed on the third attempt for 5 patients and 8 patients with Mallampati I and Mallampati II, respectively. The rate of difficult intubation was statistically significant in the ECA group (P=0.019).

Predicting ECA requirement in the preoperative period is closely related to the preoperative volumetric analysis of the thyroid gland with three-dimensional ultrasonography. In addition, since anesthesia management is difficult in patients who need ECA, volumetric analysis has become even more critical.