Thyroglossal Duct Cysts – A ten years retrospective review

Thyroglossal duct cyst (TDC) is the most common congenital midline anterior neck mass which may present at any age particularly in the pediatric age group. To review the pre-operative evaluation and the subsequent management in patients diagnosed with TDC. Medical records of all the patients diagnosed with TDCs from January 2001 till December 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients’ clinical presentations, types of radiological investigation performed, the surgery and the outcome were documented. There were 23 records of patients identified, but only 12 records were included due to incomplete data. They were 7 female and 5 male. The age ranged from 2 to 58 years. Mean age of presentation was 11.8 years. Eighty three percent of patients were in the pediatric age group. Ten cases (83%) presented as a painless neck swelling and a case with discharging cyst (8.3%) and infected cyst (8.3%). The site of the cyst was infrahyoid in seven cases (59%), suprahyoid in three cases (25%), one over the hyoid bone (8%) and another one case situated at the base of tongue (8%).Neck ultrasound was the most common radiological investigation performed prior to surgery. All patients underwent Sistrunk operation. The histopathological examination of the excised specimens was confirmed as thyroglossal duct cyst; in one patient papillary carcinoma was identified. There were no post-operative complications or recurrence. TDCs may manifest at any age but most commonly in pediatric age group. Diagnosis is usually be made clinically. Ultrasound of the thyroid gland and the neck structures is an adequate tool of investigation; however other adjunct investigations may be required. Sistrunk operation is the surgery of choice at our centre with no recurrence documented.