Invasive thyroid cancer required removal of a trachea segment 3 rings long

On July 5, information from the Da Nang Oncology Hospital said that the General Oncology Department had just successfully performed a tracheal resection surgery for patient TTP (71 years old, from Binh Dinh) with thyroid cancer invading the trachea causing respiratory failure, affecting his life.

Patient P. had a history of benign goiter but self-treated with herbal medicine and did not have regular check-ups, ignoring early signs of a neck tumor. By June 2025, the condition of intermittent shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, prolonged fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss of 5 kg and frequent insomnia caused her to rapidly deteriorate.

PHOTO: HOANG SON

The patient was brought to Da Nang Oncology Hospital by his family on June 11. Here, after a clinical examination combined with specialized tests and imaging diagnosis, doctors from the General Oncology Department discovered a malignant thyroid tumor invading the patient's airway and digestive tract.

Computed tomography (CT) scans showed multiple lesions in the thyroid gland, including a 4 cm mass that invaded and almost completely blocked the trachea. This tumor also adhered to and invaded the carotid arteries on both sides (the main blood vessels in the neck), increasing the risk of life-threatening complications.

The patient received a multidisciplinary consultation and agreed to undergo radical surgery with the goal of optimal treatment and resolution of the patient's airway invasion.

After more than 2 hours of surgery, the team removed the entire thyroid gland along with the invasive trachea (3 cartilage rings) and re-established airway circulation using the end-to-end cervical tracheal anastomosis method, completely removing the invasive tissue and successfully preserving the laryngeal nerves that control the patient's voice.

After 3 days of surgery, the patient could breathe well on his own, no longer had difficulty breathing, could speak clearly, eat and walk normally, and his physical condition improved significantly.

PHOTO: HOANG SON

Specialist 2 Doctor Dang Nguyen Kha, Head of the General Oncology Department, said this was a complicated case with a malignant thyroid tumor invading important organs in the neck area. The patient was 71 years old, had poor health, and many other comorbidities, making the anesthesia and resuscitation process potentially risky.

"Tracheal anastomosis is a difficult technique, requiring highly qualified doctors, close coordination between many specialties and needs to be performed at centers with modern facilities and equipment," said Dr. Kha.