Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T11:21:28.272Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Acute neonatal respiratory distress caused by a lingual thyroid: the role of nasendoscopy and medical treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2015

L Lane ,
S Prudon ,
T Cheetham  and
S Powell
L Lane*
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
S Prudon
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
T Cheetham
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
S Powell
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Laura Lane, Department of Paediatrics, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK E-mail: LauraL231@doctors.org.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

A lingual thyroid is a known cause of oropharyngeal obstruction in the neonate. It can be asymptomatic, or present as stridor, dysphonia, dysphagia or dyspnoea with faltering growth. The therapeutic options include surgical resection.

Case report:

A 6-day-old female neonate, born at 36 weeks gestation, presented with stridulous breathing and poor feeding. Although the cause was initially thought to be laryngomalacia, nasendoscopy revealed a lingual thyroid. The baby had deranged thyroid function, as detected on neonatal screening, but this result was not available until a later date. Despite being symptomatic, the patient was managed medically; thyroxine therapy was associated with resolution of the respiratory symptoms.

Conclusion:

Nasendoscopy provides valuable information about an ectopic thyroid gland. Thyroid replacement therapy may help to suppress the size of the ectopic gland and ultimately prevent an unnecessary surgical procedure.

Keywords

Lingual ThyroidAirway ObstructionEndoscopesThyroxineInfantNewborn
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 129 , Issue 4 , April 2015 , pp. 403 - 405
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Devos, H, Rodd, C, Gagné, N, Laframboise, R, Van Vliet, G. A search for the possible molecular mechanisms of thyroid dysgenesis: sex ratios and associated malformations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999;84:2502–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Noussios, G, Anagnostis, P, Goulis, DG, Lappas, D, Natsis, K. Ectopic thyroid tissue: anatomical, clinical, and surgical implications of a rare entity. Eur J Endocrinol 2011;165:375–82CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Perry, RJ, Maroo, S, Maclennan, AC, Jones, JH, Donaldson, MD. Combined ultrasound and isotope scanning is more informative in the diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism than single scanning. Arch Dis Child 2006;91:972–6Google Scholar
4Kansal, P, Sakati, N, Rifai, A, Woodhouse, N. Lingual thyroid. Diagnosis and treatment. Arch Intern Med 1987;147:2046–8Google Scholar
5Williams, FL, Simpson, J, Delahunty, C, Ogston, SA, Bongers-Schokking, JJ, Murphy, N et al. Developmental trends in cord and postpartum serum thyroid hormones in preterm infants. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004;89:5314–20Google Scholar
6Iglesias, P, Olmos-Garcia, R, Riva, B, Diez, JJ. Iodine 131 and lingual thyroid. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008;93:4198–9Google Scholar
7Dutta, D, Kumar, M, Thukral, A, Biswas, D, Jain, R, Ghosh, S et al. Medical management of thyroid ectopia: report of three cases. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol 2013;5:212–15Google ScholarPubMed
8Toso, A, Colombani, F, Averono, G, Aluffi, P, Pia, F. Lingual thyroid causing dysphagia and dyspnoea. Case reports and review of the literature. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 2009;29:213–17Google Scholar
9Chanin, LR, Greenberg, LM. Pediatric upper airway obstruction due to ectopic thyroid: classification and case reports. Laryngoscope 1988;98:422–7Google Scholar