Two cases of thyroid rupture after blunt cervical trauma

Abstract

The consequences of thyroid gland rupture following blunt cervical trauma can be quite grave. Almost all of these cases are associated with preexisting thyroid lesions; the traumatic rupture of a previously normal thyroid gland is very rare. Both surgical and nonsurgical management techniques have been advocated for thyroid injuries, but there is still no consensus on treatment. We report cases of thyroid gland rupture following blunt cervical trauma in 2 patients: a 24-year-old man with a previously normal thyroid and an 8-year-old boy with a preexisting thyroid nodule. The man was treated surgically and the boy was treated conservatively. Based on our experience with these cases and our review of the literature, we propose treatment guidelines for thyroid injuries.