Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion combined with thyroid gland surgery, a tailored case and literature review

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) is considered a routine procedure. However, unexpected difficulties do occasionally arise, especially when anterior neck pathologies or anatomical variations are encountered. In such cases, proactive thinking will allow surgeons to tailor appropriately their approach and eliminate surgical risks. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 50-year-old male patient suffering from left upper limb radiculopathy that underwent a C7-T1 ACDF combined with a hemithyroidectomy. Excision of the right thyroid lobe was offered to the patient because of a goiter found during the preoperative work-up. Furthermore, the hemithyroidectomy provided a wide surgical field so the ACDF performed without excreting excessive traction to the adjacent neck structures. CONCLUSIONS: The patient had an uncomplicated post-operative. To our knowledge this is the first report of a planned hemithyroidectomy being carried out as the first step towards an ACDF procedure.