Transoral robot-assisted excision of a lingual thyroid gland

Lingual thyroid is a rare condition in which ectopic thyroid tissue is present in the base of tongue. We present a case of a 46-year-old patient with a symptomatic lingual thyroid that was successfully removed with minimal morbidity using transoral robotic surgery. The traditional treatment algorithm for lingual thyroid is reviewed. The advantages of using transoral robotic surgery to remove lingual thyroid tissue are described along with the reasons why the addition of this technique should shift treatment of lingual thyroid towards more frequent use of surgical ablation. This report is, to our knowledge, the first describing the use of transoral robotic surgery for treating lingual thyroid.