Background. Hürthle cell/oncocytic change is commonly reported on thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) and may be considered an “atypical cell” by clinicians. This study aims to delineate the association between Hürthle cells in preoperative cytology and subsequent pathology of the indexed thyroid nodule and to report rates of malignancy. Methods. Retrospective review of records of 300 patients with Hürthle cell/oncocytic change on FNA and final surgical pathology at a tertiary referral center between 2000 and 2013 was performed and compared to a multi-institutional FNA cohort. The degree of Hürthle cell presence was correlated with histopathologic diagnoses. Results. In our Hürthle cell FNA group, Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology categories (BSRTC) were: I (non-diagnostic) - 14 (4.7%); II (benign) - 113 (37.7%); III (atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance) - 33 (11%); IV (follicular neoplasm/suspicious for a follicular neoplasm) - 125 (41.6%); V (suspicious for malignancy) -12 (4%); and VI (malignant)- 3 (1%). When categorized based on the degree of Hürthle cell change, our Hürthle cell FNA group, 59 (29%) were classified as mild, 13 (6%) moderate, and 131 (65%) predominant. When comparing our results with a multi-institutional FNA cohort (all with surgical confirmation), the presence of Hürthle cells was found to be associated with a lower risk of malignancy in all BSRTC categories, with a statistically significant difference in the BSRTC IV and V groups. The sole exception was when Hürthle cell presence was classified as predominant (defined as greater than 75% of the cellular population), the rate of malignancy was significantly elevated in FNAs interpreted as benign/Bethesda II. Conclusion. Although Hürthle cells have been considered by clinicians as an “atypical cell” their presence does not increase the risk of malignancy within BSRTC categories overall. However, when predominant Hürthle cell change is present, the risk of malignancy is increased in the benign cytology/BSRTC category II.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the impact of bupivacaine administration into the surgical field after total thyroidectomy on post-operative pain and analgesic requirement with a double-blind, prospective, clinical and randomized study. Methods: The study was performed between 2010 and 2011. Pain assessment was performed with the visual analog score (VAS). Patients were pre-operatively, randomly divided into two groups to receive either bupivacaine or saline. One group received a 10-mL of bupivacaine solution while the other group was treated with the same volume of 0.9% NaCl through the drain after completion of total thyroidectomy procedure. All patients were anesthetized and operated with the same anesthesia and surgical team. Results: Ninety-one patients (20 males) were included in the study. No patient dropped out of the study during the procedures. No mortality was seen. The VAS scores were significantly lower in the bupivacaine administered group at post-operative minute 30 (3.7±3.2 vs. 5±2.9; P=0.03), hour one (3.04±2.4 vs. 4.2±2.8; P=0.04), and hour eight (1.8±2.04 vs. 3.2±2.1; P=0.005). Thirteen patients required analgesia during their hospital stay in the bupivacaine group while this number was twenty-two in the saline group (P=0.005). Conclusions: Local bupivacaine administration into the surgical field after total thyroidectomy reduces pain and analgesic requirement during the hospital stay.

Skin metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is rare. Here, two cases of skin metastases of PTC are presented. Both of the patients were females, one is 83 and the other is 65 years old. The patients were admitted to the hospital with a movable skin lesion on anterior neck region. Free T3 and T4 levels were in normal levels and TSH levels were low in both patients. The 83-year-old patient underwent total thyroidectomy due to papillary thyroid cancer and received ¹³¹I ablation therapy and then thyroid suppression therapy. After the surgery, the patient lived without evidence of disease for 3 years and then skin metastasis occurred. The 65-year-old patient had a total thyroidectomy 5 years ago due to PTC then neck dissection due to metastasis 3 years later and then received ¹³¹I ablation therapy. Thyroid ultrasonography of both patients showed hypoechoic nodules with central vascularization. In the histological examination of both patients, cystic lesions filled with papillary structures were seen. Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) taken from both patients were papillary carcinoma with solid trabecular pattern. PTC tends to metastasize to regional lymph nodes but distant metastasis is rare. When distant metastasis develops, prognosis of the disease is poor. Therefore, skin metastasis of papillary thyroid cancer is a poor prognostic factor. If the patient does not have a thyroid malignancy history, diagnosis of PTC metastatic to the skin may be difficult since primary skin tumors such as apocrine tumors have similar histopathological features. However, in the presented cases since there was a PTC history, the diagnosis was easier with the help of histopathological examination. Skin metastasis of PTC should be kept in mind when differential diagnosis of atypical skin lesions are made especially in the patients with thyroid malignancy history.

Silk suture reaction (i.e., a benign granulomatous inflammatory foreign body reaction) is a rare complication of thyroid surgery. Here, two cases of post-thyroidectomy suture reaction are presented. Both of the patients were female, one is 48 and the other is 34 years old. The patients were presented with neck swelling and leakage of serous fluid from the Kocher’s incision. Both patients had normal free T₄, free T₃, and TSH values. The 48-year-old female patient had a right subtotal and left near-total thyroidectomy 6 years ago and the other had bilateral total thyroidectomy 6 years ago. In the physical examination a mobile, painless, red, swelling was palpated in front of neck. In the ultrasound of both patients, a heterogeneous nodule with hypoechoic rim was seen, however, in scintigraphy no radiopharmaceutical involvement was observed in thyroid region. Due to suspicion of thyroid malignancy, a fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed and foreign body reaction was revealed cytologically. A suture reaction can vary from an erythematous swelling to chronic granulomatous reaction. The time interval between the operation and formation of suture reaction was 6 years in both of the cases thus these patients were considered as chronic patients. Foreign body reaction diagnosis was confirmed with fine needle aspiration biopsy. It is important to diagnose these chronic inflammation cases since these cases can mimic recurrence in thyroid malignancies. A post-thyroidectomy suture reaction is diagnosed cytologically with fine needle aspiration biopsy and by surgical removal of suture, this chronic inflammatory reaction can be cured.