Surgical treatment of children Graves' disease with huge goiter-A case report and literature review

Abstract

Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in children. The surgery treatment for children Graves' disease with huge goiter is high risk and controversial. A 14-year-old girl suffered Graves' disease with huge goiter and failed to the antithyroid drug therapy for nearly 4 years was surgically treated with total thyroidectomy. The excised thyroid weighed 449.1 g and heavier than any excised children goiter reported so far. After operation, the patient's symptoms of Graves' disease were significantly improved without any complication, including normal basal metabolic rate, relieved exophthalmia and euthyroidism. So, a children Graves' disease with huge goiter was cured by total thyroidectomy, suggesting that a total/ near-total thyroidectomy is a good option for children Graves' disease with huge goiter.