3 research outputs found
The Pyramidal Lobe of the Thyroid
Anatomy of the thyroid has been extensively studied but the presence of pyramidal lobe varies in
percentages from 15% to 75% of cases according to different authors. We therefore investigated
systematically this peculiar anatomical aspect. From January 2001 to December 2011, 1002 patients
underwent total thyroidectomy in our Division of General Surgery. We analyzed the data
collected on the latest 200 thyroidectomies: for all patients pyramidal lobe was measured at removal
of the specimen then dimension of the pyramidal lobe after fixation was checked. We found
the pyramidal lobe in all cases. In most cases, it was approximately 2 cm (range 1 - 8 cm on fresh
specimen). At histology it was described in 72% of cases, after fixation size decreased by a third
approximatively. This is the first systematic intraoperative study to verify the prevalence of the
thyroid pyramidal lobe. In our experience, the pyramidal lobe is always present and the thyroglossal
duct is identifiable