[Surgical approach to recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma involving the larynx: a case report]

A 54-year-old male patient presented with a complaint of a mass in the anterior aspect of the neck of three-month duration. He had a history of total and near-total thyroidectomy in the right and left lobes, respectively, and right modified radical neck dissection at another center 12 months before. Physical examination showed a laryngeal mass, 4 x 5 cm in size, in the midline of the neck, and bilateral and multiple lymphadenopathies. Fiberoptic laryngoscopy showed a lobular contour mass filling the laryngeal lumen and involving the anterior commissure and a fixed right vocal cord. Biopsy result of the lesion was consistent with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. The patient underwent total laryngectomy and bilateral neck dissection followed by reconstruction with the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap. Histopathologic examination showed laryngeal infiltration of the recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma. Postoperative radioiodine (I-131) therapy was administered. No recurrences or distant metastasis were detected within a follow-up period of 10 months.