Giant nodular goitre – case report | European Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine

Nodular goitre of the thyroid is associated with focal structure abnormalities such as hyperplasia, degeneration or fibrosis with no functional disorders of the gland. The goitre is recognised when the volume of the thyroid measured in ultrasonography is more than 20 ml in women and more than 25 ml in men. This disease develops slowly and may not cause any functional disorders for years. Thyrotropic hormone concentration (TSH) in blood serum is a basic test in the functional assessment of the gland. However, symptoms of giant nodular goitre can be connected with modelling trachea, oesophagus and blood vessels of the neck. The basic investigation verifying changes in the gland is ultrasonography, which is non-invasive and available diagnostic procedure, in connection with fine-needle biopsy. Patients with toxic goitre or pressure symptoms should be treated with radical surgery or radioactive iodine. In the article there was presented a case report of a female patient who was admitted to the hospital due to giant nodular goitre with pressure symptoms. The disease had been developing for many years until restricted mobility of the neck and dyspnea made her seek for medical advice. Assymetry of the neck with significantly increased circumference and nodular surface with enlarged veins were observed in the physical examination. In the described patient there was radical surgery performed due to pressure symptoms, large mass of the gland and euthyreosis. The treatment significantly improved patient’s quality of life.

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