Lingual Thyroid: Concerns for the Anaesthesiologist

The lingual thyroid gland is rare, and it occurs due to failure of the thyroid gland to descend to its normal cervical location during embryogenesis. It can be associated with an increase in levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone. Lingual thyroid can be challenging to the anaesthesiologist as it poses difficulties while securing the airway. The lingual thyroid gland may present with dysphagia, dysphonia, upper airway obstruction or haemorrhage. Oropharyngeal mass can cause difficult intubation and failure to ventilate. Preoperative airway evaluation and indirect laryngoscopy will indicate the need for fibreoptic bronchoscopy-guided intubation. We report the case of a 50-year-old female with a lingual thyroid gland for breast surgery under general anaesthesia.