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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Minimal Invasive Resection of Large Retrosternal Thyroid Goiter
Published on: September 20, 2024
Partial resection of the sternum for osseous metastasis of differentiated thyroid cancer: case report
Andreas Meyer1, Matthias Behrend
1Klinikum Deggendorf Klinik für Viszeral-, Thorax-, Gefiif- und Kinderchirurgie, Perlasberger Strasse 41, 94469 Deggendorf, Germany.
Background:
Due to their resistance to radio-iodine therapy, skeletal metastases from differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) are difficult to treat. Surgical resection of solitary skeletal metastasis may offer cure with prolonged survival.
Case Report:
A patient with the simultaneous appearance of local recurrence of DTC and skeletal metastasis of the cranial sternum is reported. After radical excision of the tumour recurrence and the lymph nodes, a partial sternal resection was carried out, and the defect in the chest wall was reconstructed with polypropylene mesh. Radio-iodine ablation therapy was carried out 4 times after the operation for locally recurrent disease. At the follow-up, 4 1/2 years after the resection of the sternal metastasis, the patient is free of disease.
Conclusion:
Sternal resection for solitary osseous metastasis of DTC should be performed on selected, individual patients. Reconstruction of the sternum with polypropylene mesh, as a simple and effective method, produces satisfactory functional and cosmetic results and allows a more effective radio-iodine treatment.
