Abstract
Plummer's disease is relatively rare in Japan, particularly among children. We encountered a pediatric case of Plummer's disease in which favorable outcomes were obtained after the surgical resection. The patient was a 14-year-old girl who was referred to the pediatric department of our hospital for detailed examination of tachycardia. Blood tests showed hyperthyroidism, palpation revealed enlargement of the left lobe of the thyroid gland, and scintigraphy showed accumulation at the same site. Based on these findings, Plummer's disease was diagnosed and the patient was referred to our department for the surgical resection. After normalizing thyroid function with an antithyroid agent, the left lobe of the thyroid gland was resected. The patient followed an uneventful postoperative course, thyroid function normalized, and the tachycardia disappeared without recurrence. Treatment methods for Plummer's disease include radioiodine therapy and percutaneous ethanol injection therapy in addition to surgical treatment. However, surgical resection is considered effective in pediatric cases, in which reliable therapeutic effects are desired at an early stage.
