Diagnosis and treatment of ectopic thyroid gland

Objective To explore the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of ectopic thyroid gland and to improve the management of ectopic thyroid. Methods The clinical data of 15 cases of ectopic thyroid in our hospital and the literatures were analyzed. The clinical features of ectopic thyroid gland, its diagnosis and the treatment were summarized. Results Of the 15 cases, 13 cases underwent operation. Among them, 9 cases showed symptom relief and their thyroid gland function resumed normal with no reoccurrence, 3 cases were complicated by temporary hypothyroidism and 1 case was misdiagnosed and mistreated, resulting in permanent hypothyroidism and lifetime thyroid hormone replacement. Conclusions Ectopic thyroid gland is a rare disease which was frequently misdiagnosed and mistreated. Improvement of related examination is essential in reducing misdiagnosis and mistreatment. Key words: Ectopic thyroid gland; Aberrant thyroid; Accessory thyroid