A Rare Case of Ectopic Thyroid: Case Report and Literature Review

A Rare Case of Ectopic Thyroid: Case Report and Literature Review

An ectopic thyroid is a very rare entity defined as a thyroid not located in the anterior neck region between the 2nd and 5th tracheal rings. An ectopic thyroid can be found anywhere along the line of the obliterated thyroglossal duct, from the base of the tongue to the mediastinum. Herein, we report the case of a 34-year-old female patient with a follicular neoplasm of a thyroid nodule who presented for thyroidectomy. The patient was found to have an aberrant thyroid, localized postoperatively to be lingual. A careful ultrasound evaluation of all neck regions performed preoperatively by surgeons is important to avoid misdiagnosis. Controversies exist about the optimal treatment of ectopic thyroid. Most authors agree that the treatment depends on the patient’s age, location of the ectopic thyroid, size, and the presence of symptoms or complications such as malignancy.