• Hanwei Peng, Steven J Wang, and Weixiong Li.
• Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, 7 Raoping Road, Shantou City, Guangdong Province 515031, China. penghanwei@126.com.
• World J Surg Oncol. 2014 Oct 11; 12: 308.

AbstractThe most common complications after thyroidectomy are injuries associated with the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid gland. Cervical esophagus perforation is an exceptionally rare complication after thyroidectomy; it can usually be resolved by conservative care. Cervical esophageal stenosis secondary to intraoperative esophageal injury during thyroidectomy is much rarer and has not been reported in the literature to date. We report a case of esophageal stenosis following thyroidectomy performed at a peripheral hospital. The patient initially underwent a thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma involving the cervical esophagus; esophageal perforation was noted intraoperatively, and closed using three number 4 silk sutures. Cervical esophageal stenosis subsequently developed after conservative care. The patient was successfully treated with cervical esophagectomy and reconstruction using a tubed forearm free flap after a failed attempt at endoscopic recanalization. This case is discussed in conjunction with a review of the literature.

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