How radiologic/clinicopathologic features relate to compressive symptoms in benign thyroid disease

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Endocrinology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Benign thyroid disease can present with compressive symptoms affecting the airway.
• Understanding these symptoms and their predictors is crucial for surgical planning and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify compressive symptomatology in patients with benign thyroid disease undergoing thyroidectomy.
• To determine radiographic and clinicopathologic features predicting compressive outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 232 patients with benign thyroid disease.
• Analysis of demographics, compressive symptoms, airway encroachment, intubation complications, specimen weight, and pathology.

Main Results:

• 41.4% of patients reported compressive symptoms (dysphagia, dyspnea, hoarseness).
• Dyspnea was significantly related to tracheal compression, deviation, and substernal extension.
• Tracheal compression predicted the likelihood of dyspnea.

Conclusions:

• Dyspnea is strongly linked to preoperative airway encroachment in benign thyroid disease.
• Tracheal compression is a significant predictor of dyspnea in this patient cohort.