Intrathoracic retroesophageal goiter causing tracheal stenosis.

A 65-year-old woman presented with stridor revealed a mass on a chest X-ray on physical examination. A huge goiter arising in the left lobe of the thyroid had extended retroesophageally and across the midline to the right side of the posterior mediastinum far caudally down to the level of the carina. The trachea was remarkably compressed. Surgery was performed via a combined thoracic and cervical approach, and the tumor was completely removed with resultant relief from stridor. The patient is presently doing well at 1 year after the operation.