Definition of goiter
Classification
MULTINODULAR GOITER
Aetiopathogenesis of MNG
Diagnosis of MNG
Treatment of MNG
HYPERTHYROIDISM
Definition
Classification
Primary hyperthyroidism
Aetiopathogenesis
Diagnosis
treatment
GOITER
Definition: is a diffuse enlargement of the thyroid
gland.
Classification:
Simple
Toxic
Neoplastic
Inflammatory(thyroiditis)
Others (Amyloid)
Neoplastic Goiter
1)Benign (adenoma)
2)Malignant tumors :
Primary tumors :
•Papillary
•Follicular
•Anaplastic
•Medullary
•Malignant lymphoma
Secondary tumors (mets. through blood spread
from melanoma, renal ca. breast ca. etc.
MULTINODULAR GOITER (MNG)
Is the end stage result of a diffuse hyperplastic goiter
Is due to excessive metab. demand and continuous
stimulation of the gland by TSH.
Is common in women.
Aetiopathogenesis:
1.Puberty goiter
2.Pregnancy goiter
3.Iodine deficiency goiter
4.Goiterogenous substances (cabbage, PAS,sulfonamides)
which prevent oxidation of iodide to iodine.
cont. etiopatogenesis
All the 1
st
. 3 types of goiter, if left untreated, will be
changed to MNG. Following 3 stages:
I.Stage : diffuse hypertrophy &
hyperplasia
II.Stage : overstimulation & conversion of
some areas of the gland into active
follicles due to fluctuating levels of TSH
(pregn.,lactation, menstruation)
III.Stage :nodules formation stage
DIAGNOSIS
Is done by:
Clinical features
investigations
Clinical features of MNG
Common in female of 20-40 yrs.(10:1)
Long standing neck’s swelling
The swelling moves freely and is painless
Both lobes enlarged ,nodular and firm
Can have hard areas (calcifications) or soft
areas (necrosis)
Can have dyspnea/dyphagia
INVESTIGATIONS FOR THYROID DISEASES
1.Routine examinations
2.X-ray of the neck and chest
3.Isotope scan(radio-iodine):
Hot nodule (autonomous)
Warm nodule (graves’ disease)
Cold nodule (haemorrhage,ca. Thyroiditis)
4.TFT(thyroid function test)
5.Indirect laryngoscopy
6.FNAC(fine needle aspiration cytology)
7.U/S
8.Autoantibody titers
9.Other scans (CT-scan, MRI)
Treatment of MNG
PREVENTIVE Rx.:
Rx. Of puberty goiter (thyroxin 0.1-o.2mg/day)
Rx. Of iodine deficiency goiter (iodized salt, sea
foods, milk eggs etc.)
Avoiding Goiterogenous substances (cabbage,
drugs)
CURATIVE:
Subtotal thyroidectomy
Postop. Rx. With thyroxin 0.2mg/day for 2-5 yrs.
to suppress the TSH stimulation
Complications of MNG
1.Pressure symptoms
2.Sudden intraglandular hemorrhage
3.Secondary thyrotoxicosis with CVS
impairment (10-20%)
4.Malignancy (follicular ca.)
HYPERTHYROIDISM
Definition: is a complex disorder which
occurs due to increased level of thyroid
hormones and manifests clinically with
different signs and symptoms which
involve multiple body systems.
Classification of hyperthyroidism
1.PRIMARY HYPERTHYROIDISM (Graves’
disease,exophtalmic goiter)
2.Secondary hyperthyroidism in MNG
3.Tertiary hyperthyroidism (solitary toxic nodule)
4.Hyperthyroidism of other causes:
thyrotoxicosisfacticia(due to over dosage of thyroxin in the Rx.
Of juvenile goiter)
Jod –Bassedow thyrotoxicosis ( iodine induced thyrotoxicosis in
Rx. hyperplastic endemic goiter
Thyroiditis in initial stage
Neonatal thyrotoxicosis in babies of thyrotoxic mothers
Toxic ca.
Diagnosis of primary
thyrotoxicosis
Is done based on :
1)Clinical features
1)investigations
Clinical features of primary
hyperthyroidism
1)Signs on thyroid gland
2)CNS signs
3)Eye signs
4)CVS signs
5)GIT signs
6)MSS signs(musculoskeletal system signs)
7)Other signs (menstrual disturbances)
Signs of prim. Hyperthyroidism
on the thyroid gland
Uniformly enlarged mild goiter
Smooth (no nodule)
Soft / firm
Warm (due to hypervascularization)
Bruit can be auscultated
CNS signs of hyperthyroidism
Tremors (tongue / hand )
Sweating (hands)
Hyperkinetic
Intolerance to heat
Preference to cold
Excitability / irritability
restlessness
Eye signs of prim hyperthyroidism
Exophthalmoses
Eye lid spasm
Proptosis (protrusion of eye ball seen on
observation from behind)
Classical staring
Loss of eye ball conversion
Infrequent blinking
Lid lags behind when asked to look up and down
with speed of finger’s movement.
Keratitis
Corneal ulcers
conjunctivitis /blindness
CVS SIGNS OF PRIM.
HYPERTHYROIDISM
Despite the predominance of CVS signs in secondary
hyperthyroidism, in primary hyperthyroidism there
are :
Tachycardia
Palpitations
extracystoles
GIT signs of prim. hyperthyroidism
Polyphagia
Diarrhea
Weight loss (despite good appetite)
MSS & OTHER signs of prim.
hyperthyroidism
oMild weakness of proximal limb
oWeakness of muscles (difficulty to climb steps)
oMenstrual disturbances etc.
Treatment of primary hyperthyroidism
Is based on 3 modalities :
1.Antithyroid drugs
2.Surgery (subtotal thyroidectomy)
3.Radio-iodine therapy
And it has 3 aims :
1.To restore the pt. to euthyroid state
2.To reduce the functioning thyroid mass to a
very critical level
3.To reduce complications
Antithyroid drugs & others for the Rx. Of prim.
hyperthyroidism
Are used to restore the pts. to euthyroid state. It takes 8-12
weeks or more.
The usually used are :
Antithyroid such as :
PTU (200mg or more 8hrly..
Carbimazole 10-15mg 6 or 8hrly
Metimazole 10mg 6 or 8hrly
Beta adrenergic blockers such as :
Propranolol 10-20mg 8hrly (40mg tid in sever cases
Nadolol 160mg./day
Lugol’s iodine (10-12 drops po 8hrly for 14 days before surgery
Minimizing the gland’s mass in the Rx.of prim.
hyperthyroidism
Is achieved by :
I.Surgery (subtotal thyroidectomy) in :
Young pts. (25-35yrs)
Large toxic goiter
Retrosternal goiter
Sever toxicosis with pregnancy in 2
nd
. Trimester
Reaction to Antithyroid drugs
II.Radio-iodine therapy in :
Pts. > 40yrs.
Recurrent hyperthyroidism after operation
Prim. Hyperthyroidism with cardiac symptoms
To reduce surgical complications in the
Rx of prim. hyperthyroidism
Is achieved by :
Good preop. Preparation
Good anesthesia technique
Good surgical tech.
Post. Op. complication of thyroid surgery
1.Hemorrhage
2.Resp. obstruction due to laryngeal edema
3.Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy/paralysis
4.Hypothyroidism
5.Hypoparathyroidism
6.Thyrotoxic crisis (storm)
7.Wound infection
8.Keloid scar
9.Stitch granuloma
Advantages & disadvantages of each modality
of Rx. In prim. hyperthyroidism
Medical RX.:
Advantages :
Avoids surgery
No risk to life
Is economical
Disadvantages :
Long duration of Rx.(1-2yrs.)
Agranulocytosis
Missed doses
relapses
Advantages & disadvantages of each
modality of prim. Hyperthyroid.
SURGICAL Rx.. RADIOIODINE Rx.
ADVANTAGES
Permanent cure is
high
DISADVANTAGES
Carries morbidity &
mortality
Postop side effects
Can recur
ADVANTAGES
no surgery
No drugs
easy
DISADVANTAGES
No in pregnancy
No in young girls
Permanent
hypothyroidism
Carcinomas of the thyroid
gland(primaries)
Thyroid gland is the only endocrine gland where :
Malignant tumors are easily accessible for
clinical examination
Malignant tumors occur in all ages and sex
Malignant tumors spread by all routs (local,
lymphatic and blood)
The malignant tumors of this gland have a
good prognosis if diagnosed and treated
early.
Classification of primary
thyroid tumors
I.Well differentiated
Papillary
follicular
II.Moderately differentiated
Medullary Ca.
III.Poorly differentiated
anaplastic
IV.Malignant lymphomas(from lymphatic tissue)
Clinical criterion for the diagnosis of thyroid Ca.
Can be suspected even with only 1 feature
1.Rapidly growing thyroid’s swelling
2.Thyroid swelling with cervical L/nodes
3.Hard gland fixed to trachea
4.Thyroid swelling with hoarseness of the voice
5.Thyroid swelling with Berry sign positive
(impalpable carotid pulsation in anaplastic Ca.)
6.Kocher’s test (+) due to tracheal
infiltration(stridor)
Investigations
As in all thyroid diseases + calcitonin dosification in
case of med. Ca.
Etiology
1)Papillary
Accidental radiation to the neck
Post Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
2)Follicular
MNG(endemic goiter)
3)Anaplastic (unknown)
4)Medullary
Familial / sporadic
5)Lymphoma (Hashimoto is the possibility)
Clinical features of thyroid Ca.s
Papillary
Freq. In young female(20-40yrs)
Solitary nodule
Thyroid swelling with L/nodes
Is TSH dependant
Follicular
Freq. In 40 yrs. Of age(30-50yrs.)with solitary nodule
Can be presented in long standing MNG with rapid
growth
Thyroid swelling with mets. in flat bones
Is also TSH dependant
Contin. Of clinical features of
thyroid Ca.s
Anaplastic
Common in 60-70
Rapidly growing thyroid swelling with local fixicity
and stridor
Berry sign (+)
Is not TSH dependant
Medullary
Is difficult to diagnose clinically
Is not TSH dependant
Management of thyroid Ca.s
In all thyroid Ca.s , Rx. is done with 3 targets:
1)Rx. Of the primary tumor
2)Rx. Of the secondaries in the L/nodes
3)Suppression of the TSH.
Prognosis of thyroid Ca.s
Papillary---------excellent
Follicular--------good
Anaplastic-------worst
Medullary--------bad
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bailey & LOVES :SHORT PRACTICE
OF SURGERY, 22
nd
. Edition, 1995
Manipal : Manual of surgery, 1
st
.
Edition, 2000
Text book of surgery : David C.
Sabiston, 1997