Topographic anatomy of the vascular-nervous bundle of the medial triangle of the neck before and after thyroidectomy in patients with compression syndrome caused by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Background. Thyroid diseases associated with an increase in thyroid volume affect the topographic anatomy of the anterior neck and complicate the technical aspects of hemi- and thyroidectomies. Changes in postoperative anatomy can affect the quality of repeat surgical interventions in this area. These circumstances motivated the study of neck anatomy in thyroid diseases before and after surgery. Objective. To describe changes in the anatomy and topography of the neurovascular bundle of the medial triangle of the neck before and after thyroidectomy in patients with neck organ compression syndrome. Material and methods. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the soft tissues of the neck was studied in 120 patients with compression syndrome of the neck organs secondary to multinodular colloid goiter and autoimmune thyroiditis. The anatomical features of the common carotid arteries and internal jugular veins were assessed. Results. With significant thyroid enlargement, the right vascular bundle shifts posteriorly and laterally to the right, while the left vascular bundle shifts laterally to the left. The position of the common carotid artery relative to the internal jugular vein remains unchanged. After thyroidectomy, in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis associated with neck organ compression, the vascular bundle shifts laterally and anteriorly. An increase in the diameter of the left internal jugular vein was also observed. The dimensional parameters of the right vessels and the left common carotid artery did not change before and after the procedure. Conclusions. The data obtained in this study may be key in planning thyroid surgery and may contribute to improving the safety of thyroidectomy procedures.