Acute suppurative thyroiditis and the branchial apparatus.
Acute suppurative thyroiditis and thyroid abscess are rare. The finding of a sinus tract arising from the pyriform sinus in some cases highlights the possibility of a branchial apparatus origin. We present three case histories that include a left-sided lesion and radiologic or surgical-anatomic evidence of an internal sinus tract. Our discussion focuses on two considerations: first, the exact branchial pouch from which this lesion arises, and second, a proposed protocol for the work-up and management of patients with the onset or recurrence of acute suppurative thyroiditis or thyroid abscess.
Har-el
G
G
Department of Otolaryngology, SUNY-Health Science Center, Brooklyn, NY.
Sasaki
C T
CT
Prager
D
D
Krespi
Y P
YP
D000038:Abscess; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001934:Branchial Region; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases; D013959:Thyroid Diseases; D013969:Thyroiditis, Suppurative