Document Type : Case Report
Authors
Trauma Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Accidental foreign body ingestion, with fish bones being the most frequent one, is a common occurrence. However, extraluminal migration of fish bones is a rare incident, and fish bones remaining in the thyroid gland are even more unusual. This uncommon phenomenon might lead to serious complications like abscess formation, sepsis, and vascular damage. Here, we present a rare case of a migratory fish bone into the thyroid gland with abscess formation and internal jugular vein thrombosis.
Case presentation: A 73-year-old woman referred to our emergency department due to several syncopal attacks, ground-level fall, drowsiness, and left-sided neck swelling with a history of consuming fish three months ago. CT scan and ultrasound revealed abscess formation at the left side of the neck, with a foreign body detected in the left lobe of the thyroid, and left internal jugular vein thrombosis. The fish bone was removed successfully, left thyroid lobectomy was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful, and internal jugular vein reopened without further intervention.
Conclusion: Fish bone migration into the thyroid gland is an unusual event, and its possibility should be considered, especially when the patient has persistent symptoms with negative findings in examination. In such occasions, appropriate imaging and advanced interventions are essential for timely diagnosis and management.
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