Tracheal injury following thyroidectomy is rare, with delayed presentation being even less common. Tracheal mucosal herniation through a small tracheal wall defect represents an exceptionally unusual postoperative complication. This report describes a 49-year-old woman who developed a delayed anterolateral tracheal defect with mucosal herniation two weeks after a total thyroidectomy. Conservative management led to complete recovery. This case highlights the importance of maintaining a high index of clinical suspicion for airway complications in the late postoperative period and demonstrates that small, contained tracheal defects can be safely managed nonoperatively.
Sallay et al. (2026) studied this question.