A review of 128 cases of posterior mediastinal goiter

In 9,100 thyroid operations performed between 1935 and 1975, the author treated over 1,300 patients with intrathoracic goiters, 128 of whom had posterior mediastinal goiters. In all patients, the posterior mediastinal goiter arose from the thyroid gland in the neck. The main symptoms were those resulting from compression of the trachea, bronchi, esophagus, and great vessels. Chest x‐rays showing displacement of mediastinal structures were the most helpful diagnostic studies. It was possible to remove the goiter entirely through a cervical approach in 122 of the 128 patients. Six patients required a combined cervicothoracic approach after exploration through the neck showed that it was not possible to safely perform a thyroidectomy. There was only one death in this group of 128 patients, all of whom were over the age of 50.