Total thyroidectomy procedure and radical neck dissection
The patient is a 21 years old female that was diagnosed with a bilateral non-toxic multi-nodular goiter. The term non-toxic goiter refers to enlargement of the thyroid that is not associated with overproduction of thyroid hormone or malignancy. It does not result from an inflammatory or neoplastic process and is not associated with abnormal thyroid function. The thyroid can become very large so that it can easily be seen as a mass in the neck. These patients will typically complain of a cough, a slight change in voice, or nighttime choking episodes because of the way that the gland compresses the trachea while sleeping.The enlarged gland can even compress the blood vessels of the neck, which is also an indication for its removal. In the above image, notice the following visible structures, such as the common carotid artery (red), internal jugular vein (blue), left sternocleidomastoid muscle (retractor), and sternohyoid muscle. Photo by : @teukunandap
