A case of intrathoracic goiter removed using a cervical incision and median sternotomy

A 56-year-old man was referred to our hospital with intrathoracic goiter observed over 20 years. He had a slowly growing anterior bilateral neck mass but, during the last 3 months, dyspnea had been present. Computed tomographic images showed a tumor in both lobes of the thyroid gland compressing the trachea and the right lobe extending to the retrotracheal bifurcation. The mass was removed using a transcervical and median sternotomy approach without complications. Histopathological examination demonstrated adenomatous goiter. The post-operative course was uneventful. We report a case of intrathoracic goiter removed using a cervical incision and median sternotomy, and review the related literature.