Thyroid nodules in children

Safa Nefzaoui; Ameni Amri; Imen Zoghlami; Dorra Chiboub; Nadia Romdhane; Ines Hariga; Chiraz Mbarek

doi:10.1530/endoabs.101.PS3-23-02

PS3-23-02

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Endocrine Abstracts (2024) 101 PS3-23-02 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.101.PS3-23-02

ETA2024 Poster Presentations Clinical thyroid cancer research-3 (10 abstracts)

Thyroid nodules in children

Safa Nefzaoui ¹ , Ameni Amri ² , Imen Zoghlami ¹ , Dorra Chiboub ¹ , Nadia Romdhane ¹ , Ines Hariga ¹ & Chiraz Mbarek ¹

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¹Habib Thameur Hospital, Ears Nose and Throat, Tunisia; ²Salah Azaiez Institute, Ent, Carcinologic Head & Neck Surgery, Tunisia

Background: Thyroid nodules are frequently diagnosed in adults. In children, although rare, varying between 1% and 5%, they are more likely to be malignant, hence the importance of early diagnosis and rapid management. The aim of our study was to describe the features of nodular goiters in children and to plan their management.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including children who underwent surgery for thyroid nodules from 2001 to 2020.

Results: Thirty children underwent surgery. The average age of our patients was 16 years with a clear predominance of females (sex ratio: 0.07). The major complaint was the appearance of an anterior cervical swelling in 87% of cases. The surgical procedure concerning the thyroid gland consisted in a loboisthmectomy in 14 patients and a total thyroidectomy in 16 patients, one of whom had an ectopic thyroid (ad-hyoid). Total thyroidectomy was performed in one step in 14 cases and in two steps, in the presence of papillary carcinoma at the final histological examination of the loboisthmectomy parts in 2 cases. The diagnosis of papillary carcinoma was confirmed after definitive histological examination in 5 cases (16,7%). They were put on suppressive opotherapy and referred for radioactive iodine therapy. The outcome was favorable in all patients. The mean follow-up was 32 months in benign cases and 12 months after the last course of radioactive iodine therapy in malignant cases.

Conclusion: Of the 30 patients identified, 16,7% had thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid nodules in children should be evaluated by ultrasound and fine needle aspiration to evaluate the risk of malignancy. This will ensure an appropriate surgical management.

Key-words: Thyroid nodule, Child, Thyroid neoplasms