Treatment of Iatrogenic Cervical Esophageal Transection following Thyroidectomy: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Background: iatrogenic cervical esophageal transection after thyroidectomy is an extremely rare condition that requires prompt diagnosis and surgical intervention.Case presentation: we reported a rare case of iatrogenic cervical esophageal transection following thyroidectomy for thyroid carcinoma in a 54-year-old woman. Primary repair was not achievable because of loss of a long segment of the cervical esophagus. A modified diversion was performed by inserting a T-tube into the remnant esophagus, followed by gastrostomy and jejunostomy. The next day, mediastinal abscess was detected on chest computed tomography; therefore, thoracoscopic mediastinotomy was performed, with placement of two drains. After 6 months, thoracoscopic esophagectomy, alimentary reconstruction with gastric pull-up, and cervical esophagogastrostomy anastomosis were performed. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 18, without complications.Conclusions: iatrogenic cervical esophageal transection following thyroidectomy is a rare but fatal complication. It can be successfully managed with a series of treatments, including modified diversion procedure, prompt drainage of mediastinitis, alimentary reconstruction with gastric pull-up, and cervical esophagogastrostomy anastomosis.