Tracheomalacia due to trachea compression related to benign goiter

Introduction: Tracheomalacia can result from long-standing compression by a large goiter. The cartilaginous rings of the trachea may be weakened or destroyed by long-standing compression, causing loss of structural support. Tracheomalacia after resectioning of benign goiter compressing trachea was an important issue. It has extended the time of mechanical ventilation, increased the risk of failure extubating and mortality. Materials and Methods: Descriptive and prospective study. From November 2014 to January 2017, we have collected 102 patients who had benign goiter compressing trachea and had thyroidectomy. Tracheomalacia was diagnosed and managed intra and postoperatively. Results: Recognition of women accounted for the majority of 81.4%. The average age was 54.5 years old and the average duration of goiter was 5 years. The patients were hospitalized with the main symptom of dysphagia accounting for 21.6% and difficulty breathing when lying down was 16.7%. On CT scan, the average Goiter was 270g, the average narrow airway diameter was 8.4 mm, of which 12.7% of patients had narrow tracheal diameter <5mm. The rate of tracheomalacia was 4.9%. There were statistically significant differences between the 2 groups with and without tracheomalacia: elderly patients (p = 0.041); goiter long-standing time (p = 0.07); symptoms of positional dyspnea on lying (p = 0.003) and tracheal diameter compressed (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Tracheomalacia should be noted in patients older than 65 years old, goiter exist longer than 5 years and goiter is over 200g.