Tuberculosis of the Thyroid

Authors

  • Elmer F. Fabito Department of Ear Nose Throat – Head and Neck Surgery Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center
  • Mary Jane Tipayno-Lubos Department of Ear Nose Throat – Head and Neck Surgery Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center
  • Felixberto D. Ayahao Department of Ear Nose Throat – Head and Neck Surgery Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32412/pjohns.v32i1.189

Keywords:

tuberculosis, endocrine; thyroid disease

Abstract

Objectives: To present a case of thyroid tuberculosis and to discuss its clinical presentation, differential diagnoses and management.

Methods:

                        Design: Case Report

                        Setting:  Tertiary Government Hospital

                        Patient: One

Results: A 55-year-old farmer presented with an 8-month progressively enlarging anterior neck mass, and fine needle aspiration biopsy yielded grossly turbid straw-colored aspirate admixed with blood with microscopy showing scattered inflammatory cells and macrophages set against a colloid background. After total thyroidectomy, hispathology revealed parenchymal infiltration by multiple aggregates of plump spindled to epitheloid cells forming granulomas with interspersed multinucleated giant cells, central caseation necrosis and surrounding fibrosis with chronic inflammatory infiltrates. The nodal masses also showed prominent germinal centers with interspersed epitheloid cells and foamy macrophages. Final diagnosis was chronic granulomatous inflammation consistent with tuberculosis.

Conclusion: Tuberculosis (TB) of the thyroid is a rare occurrence that can present as inflammation, infection or tumor formation of the thyroid gland. Diagnosis depends on identification of the tubercle from tissues and aspirates by acid fast staining and TB culture. Treatment consists of multiple drug therapy for tuberculosis but thyroidectomy may be an option if the thyroid gland is severely diseased.

Keywords: tuberculosis, endocrine; thyroid disease

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Published

2017-06-29

How to Cite

1.
Fabito EF, Tipayno-Lubos MJ, Ayahao FD. Tuberculosis of the Thyroid. Philipp J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg [Internet]. 2017 Jun. 29 [cited 2024 Nov. 19];32(1):47-50. Available from: https://pjohns.pso-hns.org/index.php/pjohns/article/view/189

Issue

Vol. 32 No. 1 (2017): Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Section

Case Reports

License

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