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Query: UMLS:C0011168 (dysphagia)
 15,644 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Thyroid disease in the elderly can be easily overlooked. Symptoms too often are explained away as normal processes of aging. Development of unstable illness, especially cardiac disease, is a frequent mode of presentation. One symptom or one clinical feature of thyroid disease in the elderly may be overwhelming in its presentation, as in apathetic hyperthyroidism, thyroid myopathy, depression and dementia. Physical examination of the thyroid gland can be helpful but in a high percentage of older patients the gland is normal to palpation. The treatment of hypothyroidism is straightforward. Only myxedema coma requires large doses of levothyroxine parenterally; all other forms of hypothyroidism are treated with oral levothyroxine. The dose is started very low and increased gradually over months. The euthyroid state is achieved gradually and safely. Hyperthyroidism can be treated by several modalities. In the unstable elderly patient, antithyroid medication can quickly produce a euthyroid state. When the patient is stable, further decisions can be made regarding definitive therapy. Radioactive iodine therapy is well-tolerated and effective. On occasion, a second course of therapy is needed to suppress hyperthyroidism. Close follow-up of all patients ever having received this therapy is needed to identify the development of hypothyroidism. Surgical thyroid ablation may be necessary in patients who fail to respond to radioactive iodine therapy. Abnormalities associated with unresolved thyromegaly, dysphagia, or tracheal compression may require surgical intervention. If suspicion exists that the gland is cancerous, surgical intervention is warranted.
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PMID:Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism in the elderly. 158 94

A study was made of changes of esophageal transport function in 10 patients with thyroid adenoma and in 27 patients after surgical and radiotherapeutic management for thyroid cancer. The results were compared with those of a control group. Significant data on changes on esophageal transport function in patients with thyroid adenoma were unnoticed. Esophageal dysfunction after operation and radioactive iodine therapy for cancer was detected in 55%. Dysfunction was thought to be caused by dysphagia which showed direct correlation with the severity of hypothyroidism.
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PMID:[The esophageal transport function in patients with nodular goiter and in patients operated on for thyroid cancer]. 255 53

Fourteen patients with large non-toxic multinodular goiters were treated with 20 to 100 mCi (740 to 3,700 MBq) of radioactive iodine (iodine-131). In seven, the goiter had recurred after a partial thyroidectomy and four of these had had two operations. Eight had symptoms of respiratory obstruction, two had dysphagia, and the others sought treatment for cosmetic reasons. After administration of iodine-131, there was a significant decrease in goiter size in 11 of the 14 patients, and all those with obstructive symptoms showed improvement. No significant local side effects occurred, but hypothyroidism and Graves' disease each occurred once during follow-up from one to 13 years. Radioactive iodine in doses of 20 to 100 mCi is an effective, safe therapeutic alternative in patients with large non-toxic multinodular goiter, particularly when there is recurrence following surgery or when there are contraindications to surgery.
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PMID:Treatment of non-toxic multinodular goiter with radioactive iodine. 333 30

We describe four patients who presented with a lingual thyroid condition (three females and one male, aged between 7 and 22 years). Only the male patient was symptomatic with mild dysphagia and hemoptysis. The diagnosis was suspected in three patients, and was confirmed by iodine 123 or 131 scanning in all patients and by a computed tomographic scan in the one patient studied. The patient with dysphagia received a 10-mCl therapeutic dose of iodine 131 before thyroxine replacement was started. The diagnosis and management of lingual thyroid is discussed. All patients need lifelong thyroxine suppression. Unenhanced computed tomographic scans have a diagnostic appearance due to the iodine content of the ectopic thyroid tissue.
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PMID:Lingual thyroid. Diagnosis and treatment. 367 9

The literature on substernal goiter from the seventeenth century to the present is reviewed. Substernal goiter may be defined as any thyroid enlargement that has its greater mass inferior to the thoracic inlet. Truly ectopic mediastinal goiters are rare, and most substernal goiters arise from and maintain some attachment to the cervical thyroid gland. Patients are generally in the fifth decade of life, and women predominate. Most patients experience dyspnea, stridor, or dysphagia, but 15 to 50% are asymptomatic; symptoms are often positional, and acute stridor may occur. Ten to twenty percent have no cervical mass or tracheal deviation on examination, and virtually all patients are euthyroid. Standard chest roentgenograms are often diagnostic, but computed tomographic or radioactive iodine scans may be helpful. The presence of a substernal goiter in all but the highest-risk patients is an indication for resection, usually through a cervical collar incision; an occasional patient will require sternotomy or thoracotomy. Death or major complications should be rare postoperatively. Substernal goiters are adenomatous and benign, but carcinoma occurs in 2 to 3% and may be occult. Patients should be followed closely, as these goiters may recur.
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PMID:Substernal goiter. 388 87

During the course of 872 thyroidectomies performed at the University of Michigan Medical Center between 1972 and 1982, 50 patients (5.7%) were found to have substernal goiters, 42 of which were benign and eight malignant (16%). Symptoms included airway compression (22 patients), dysphagia (13 patients), hoarseness (four patients), weight loss (three patients), and thyrotoxicosis (10 patients). Five patients with compression symptoms, four of whom had benign disease, had superior vena cava syndrome. Most patients were elderly (mean age 66 years), were women (3.2 women:1 man), and had long-standing goiters (mean duration 16 years). All but one operation was performed through a cervical incision. There were no intraoperative deaths. Complications were: pneumonia (one patient), wound hematoma (one patient), transient hypocalcemia (two patients), and atrial fibrillation (two patients). This series illustrates five reasons to support operative management. (1) There is no other treatment for long-standing large multinodular goiters. (2) Iodine 131, the alternative to operation for patients with large thyrotoxic goiters, can precipitate acute reactions in the elderly that can result in respiratory distress. (3) A long history of having a large multinodular goiter precluded neither malignancy, hyperfunction, nor complications such as tracheal or esophageal compression. (4) Malignancy occurs in a significant number of these lesions, which are inaccessible to needle biopsy. (5) Nearly all substernal goiters can be removed through a cervical incision. Presence of a substernal goiter is in itself an indication for operation.
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PMID:Rationale for the operative management of substernal goiters. 664 12

A 41-year-old man was admitted to a hospital elsewhere because of tonsillitis with high grade fever. On the 9th day of hospitalization, the patient complained of dysphagia and dyspnea. A chest X-ray film and a CT scan showed right pleural effusion and pericardial effusion, and he was referred to our hospital. Immediately after admission, he underwent pericardiotomy to relieve cardiac tamponade, and a right thoracic tube was inserted for pyothorax. Next day, mediastinal drainage was accomplished through a cervical incision and a right thoracotomy. Eight drainage tubes were left in place. Cultures revealed alpha-Streptococcus, Neisseria and group F Streptococci. Continuous closed irrigation with diluted Isodine (povidone iodine) solution was performed. The last extubation of the drainage tube was done on the 140th day after operation. He was cured and discharged on the 162nd day after operation. In patients with extensive acute mediastinitis secondary to deep cervical infection, early complete mediastinal drainage via a cervical and a transthoracic incision is essential.
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PMID:[A case of acute mediastinitis with pyothorax secondary to peritonsillar abscess]. 899 Aug 16

Nodular goiter is the natural evolution of nontoxic goiter, that may be endemic, sporadic or familiar. Iodine deficiency is the cause of endemic goiter, while genetical defects, impairing the thyroid hormone biosynthetic efficiency or altering the number and/or activity of growth factor receptors, play the major role in the pathogenesis of sporadic and familiar nontoxic goiter. The prevalence of nodular goiter is directly related to the degree of iodine deficiency that is still present in several areas of the world. In iodine deficient areas such as some Italian regions, nodular goiter is present in 25-33% of the population, its frequency increasing with age. In iodine sufficient areas the prevalence of nodular goiter is comprised between 0.4 and 7.2% high in iodine deficient areas and about 4% in iodine sufficient countries, its frequency increasing with the age. Dysphagia, dyspnea and coarsening of the voice may occur for esophagous, tracheal or laryngeal nerve compression, respectively. Iodine deficiency has little if any effect on the frequency of thyroid carcinoma, while, with regard to the histological pattern, it leads to an increased ratio papillary/follicular. Thyroid function is normal in uncomplicated nontoxic goiter. However, the evolution of nodular goiter is toward the functional autonomy of nodules that may result in thyrotoxicosis. Hypothyroidism is rare and is usually the result of thyroid autoimmunity. All the cases due to iodine deficiency can be prevented by an adequate iodine prophylaxis that can be accomplished in industrialized countries by the use of sale enriched in iodine.
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PMID:[Multinodular goiter. Epidemiology and prevention]. 901 82

131I sodium iodide is the radiopharmaceutical of choice for both diagnosis and therapy in patients with various thyroid abnormalities. The radioiodide capsule has been the preferred dosage form, primarily because it provides a more convenient and safer vehicle for radioiodine administration. However, encapsulated 131I costs approximately twice as much a liquid 131I and does not provide as much flexibility as 131I solution in dosage selection. Also, the bioavailability of the capsular radioiodide preparation is inferior to that of the aqueous dosage form. The patient must swallow multiple capsules when a large amount of 131I activity is used. Capsule form is not suitable for any patient who has difficulty swallowing a capsule, has a feeding tube, or requires intravenous injection of 131I solution. In addition, radioiodide capsules must be analyzed statistically to ensure that the dosage units meet the United States Pharmacopeia uniformity requirements. If liquid radioiodine is used, distilled water rather than tap water should be used for dose preparation. It also is recommended that an antioxidant (e.g., sodium thiosulfate, sodium bisulfite), disodium edetate, and a pH adjustment of 7.5-9.0 be used to reduce radioiodide volatility. Due to the acceleration of the oxidative reaction caused by heat and light, 131I should be stored in a dark, cool environment. To comply with the quality management program implemented by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission on January 27, 1992, all of the required information (e.g., prescribed dosage, procedure date, and signature of the authorized user) for a valid written directive is preprinted to ensure that the written directive is completed entirely and appropriately. Before each administration of therapeutic 131I solution, the calculated dose is verified by the prescribing physician, and the measured dose of 131I is reconfirmed by a second nuclear medicine technologist. Each patient's identity is verified by two methods (i.e., patient's full name and birth date).
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PMID:Radioiodine dispensing and usage in a centralized hospital nuclear pharmacy. 913 3

Enlargement of the thyroid is common, especially in areas of endemic iodine deficiency. Substernal enlargement of a goitre can cause compression of several mediastinal structures. As a consequence of tracheal compression and tracheomalacia, syndromes of chronic respiratory distress occur and intercurrent upper respiratory infections may lead to acute respiratory failure. Superior vena cava syndrome secondary to compression by a substernal goitre may be complicated by venous thrombosis. Although dysphagia is the most frequent oesophageal symptom of a substernal goitre, upper gastrointestinal bleeding from 'downhill' oesophageal varices may be an initial presentation. Arterial compression or thyrocervical steal syndrome by large substernal goitres occasionally cause cerebral hypoperfusion and stroke. Recurrent and phrenic nerve palsies, as well as Horner's syndrome, occur secondary to non-malignant mediastinal goitres and may resolve after surgery. Substernal goitres rarely cause therapy-resistant pleural effusions, chylothorax and pericardial effusion. In conclusion, although cervical goitres are easily recognised, the initial presentation of mainly substernal goitres may be unusual.
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PMID:Compression syndromes caused by substernal goitres. 1019 9


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