ENDOCRINE IMAGE


https://doi.org/10.5005/jp-journals-10002-1286
World Journal of Endocrine Surgery
Volume 12 | Issue 1 | Year 2020

Toothpaste Sign in Thyroid Surgery

Mayilvaganan Sabaretnam1, D Mahalakshmi VNSSVAMS2, Suneel Matoo3, Amit Agarwal4

1–4Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Corresponding Author: Mayilvaganan Sabaretnam, Department of Endocrine Surgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, Phone: +91 (0522) 2668004-8 extn 3200, 2668777, e-mail: drretnam@gmail.com

How to cite this article Sabaretnam M, Mahalakshmi DVNSSVAMS, Matoo S, et al. Toothpaste Sign in Thyroid Surgery. World J Endoc Surg 2020;12(1):45.

Source of support: Nil

Conflict of interest: None

ABSTRACT

Toothpaste sign is imparted by the fine vaso nervosum running over the white RLN resembling a popular toothpaste.

Keywords: Thyroid gland, Thyroid malignancy, Thyroid, Toothpaste.

Dear Sir,

We want to report the toothpaste sign in thyroid surgery which may interest thyroid surgeons and surgical trainees.

A 28-year-old lady underwent a completion thyroidectomy for follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma, and during the lateral approach for completion of thyroidectomy, we encountered the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), and the RLN nerve had classic toothpaste sign (Figs 1 and 2).1,2

Toothpaste sign is imparted by the fine vaso nervosum running over the white RLN resembling a popular toothpaste.

Fig. 1: Recurrent laryngeal nerve with fine blood vessel resembling toothpaste

Fig. 2: Popular toothpaste

REFERENCES

1. Agarwal A. Atlas of Thyroid Disorders and Thyroid Surgery.New Delhi: Jaypee; 2013. p. 121.

2. Bothra S, Sabaretnam M, Kannujia A, et al. Patient, thyroid, and surgeon related factors that make thyroidectomy difficult-cohort study. Ann Med Surg 2019;49:14–18.

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