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| LETTER TO THE EDITOR |
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| Year : 2015 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 2 | Page : 83 |
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Tattooing as a therapy for goiter
Deep Dutta, Satinath Mukhopadhyay
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital, Calcutta, West Bengal, India
| Date of Web Publication | 8-May-2015 |
Correspondence Address:
Deep Dutta
Room-9A, 4th Floor, Ronald Ross Building, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital, 244 AJC Bose Road, Calcutta - 700 20, West Bengal
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0973-0354.153340
How to cite this article:
Dutta D, Mukhopadhyay S. Tattooing as a therapy for goiter. Thyroid Res Pract 2015;12:83 |
Sir,
Tattooing, characterized by insertion of indelible ink into dermis for cosmetic, decorative, identification and religious purposes, was used as a treatment for goiter in ancient Ethiopia. [1] Tattooing, as a therapy for goiter has rarely been reported from India. [2] We present a 43-year-lady with goiter for 9 years, who had undergone diffuse tattooing of the goiter 3 years back as a treatment option in her village [Figure 1]. However, she did not notice any improvement, and presented to us with progressively worsening heaviness, dysphagia and dyspnea for last 1 year. Evaluation was significant for large, firm goiter with restricted mobility, dull-sternal percussion, superior mediastinal widening on chest X-ray [Figure 2] due to retrosternal goiter extension, which was conformed on computerized tomography of thorax [Figure 3]. Her symptoms resolved with total thyroidectomy, histopathological evaluation of which was suggestive of multinodular goiter without any evidence of malignancy. This report highlights the lack of awareness in rural India even in the 21 st century, leading to delay in seeking appropriate healthcare, which results in increased morbidity and increases the risk of adverse clinical outcomes. | Figure 1: Patient profile showing WHO grade-2 multi-nodular goiter with extensive tattoo markings over it
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 | Figure 2: Chest X-ray of patient showing superior mediastinal widening due to retrosternal extension of goiter
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 | Figure 3: Scannogram of computerized tomography of neck and thorax showing the retrosternal extension of
goiter
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| References | |  |
| 1. | Greaves FL. Remarks on nature and treatment of parenchymatous goiter. Br Med J 1909;384-6.  |
| 2. | Bharani T, Reddy SVB, Singh D, Chand G, Gupta SK. Tattooing as alternative therapy for goiter. World J Endocr Surg 2012;2:103-4. |
[Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3]
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