CLINICAL PRESENTATION, FREQUENCY AND POST-SURGICAL COMPLICATIONS OF RETROSTERNAL GOITER

Objective: This research work carried out to find out the rate of occurrence of retrosternal goiter (RSG), its clinical manifestations and post-surgical complications in the patients appeared with goiter. Methodology: This is prospective, transverse research work which carried out in Surgery Department of General Hospital, Lahore from March 2017 to December 2020. All the patients suffering from goiter were assessed for the thyroid’s retrosternal extension, clinical manifestations and post-surgical complication. Results: Among total nine hundred and seventy-eight patients, 9.10% (n: 89) patients were present with thyroid’s retrosternal extension. Most of the patients were females (94.510%) & euthyroid (91.020%). Total 39.330% patients were in their 5th decade of life. We found the retrosternal extension of two lobes in 83.150% patients, and extension of single lobe in 16.150% patients. The most common complaint was dyspnea according to most of the patients, followed by headache in 30.330% and dysphagia in 25.840% patients. There was presence of recurring laryngeal nerve palsy in 4.490% patients. There was development of hypocalcaemia in 3.370% patients as well as same rate of infection of wound after surgical intervention. Conclusion: Thyroid’s retrosternal extension is very common. The surgery of this complication is easily possible through cervical technique. Key Words: Thyroid, palsy, extension, goiter, retrosternal, surgery, occurrence, prevalence, lobes, development, cervical