Thyroid enlargement and the trachea ASEA proceedings,

Abstract

Although it has been said that local symptoms are uncommon and that large goiters are oftenwell tolerated ( Sloan,1971), this is not true of our patients.Pressure effects may depend upon size and position of the the gland but asymmetry of nodular thyroid and strong anterior neck muscles and fasciamay cause severe compression or deviation of the trachea. In KNH,Nairobi, we have been truck by the frequency of the pressure symptoms caused by these goiter weighing less than 100gms