Preoperative Anesthesia Evaluation in a Patient With Hyperthyroidism and a Mediastinal Mass: A Case Report

Untreated hyperthyroidism can lead to thyroid storm, a medical emergency with high mortality. This case report discusses a patient with untreated hyperthyroidism undergoing evaluation before elective resection of a mediastinal mass in the preoperative anesthesia setting. The preoperative anesthesia provider’s systematic assessment and timely endocrinology referral with subsequent management of the thyroid disease shifted the trajectory of the patient’s treatment, and ultimately prevented an unnecessary, invasive surgical procedure. The value of advanced practice providers in the preoperative anesthesiology clinic setting is highlighted.