Transposition of the lingual thyroid gland to the submandibular region through a submandibular approach: A case report

Background: Ectopic thyroid at the base of the tongue is a rare congenital condition, and it is even rarer to have clinical symptoms and require surgical intervention. This disease is easily misdiagnosed preoperatively. This article reports the diagnosis, surgical treatment, and follow-up of a case of lingual thyroid.

Case summary: The patient was a 54-year-old woman who presented with laryngeal foreign body sensation and dysphagia for 20 d. The lingual thyroid was considered for general examination, and surgery was performed to transpose the lingual thyroid to the right submaxillary region. Pathological analysis confirmed thyroid tissue. The patient experienced complete remission after surgery, but developed hypothyroidism and required thyroid hormone replacement therapy, and her thyroid function gradually recovered over time.

Conclusion: We report a rare case of lingual thyroid with marked laryngeal foreign body sensation and dysphagia. Symptoms were completely relieved by transposition surgery but postoperative hypothyroidism developed.