title: Recurrent acute suppurative thyroiditis.
abstract: Recurrent acute left-sided suppurative thyroiditis was observed and treated in an eight-year-old girl. Barium swallow performed after the third episode revealed the presence of a pyriform sinus fistula extending to the upper pole of the left lobe. Despite resection of the fistula, she relapsed for a fourth time. The fistula was again seen on esophagogram. A probe was left inside the tract during subsequent surgery, thus facilitating its complete removal. AST occurs most commonly as a result of the persistence of a connection between the throat and the thyroid gland which is otherwise extremely resistant to infection. AST is usually left-sided and not associated with thyroid dysfunction. Recurrences are common unless the congenital fistula is identified and completely excised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Medical School, Newark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skuza
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rapaport
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fieldman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marquis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013969:Thyroiditis, Suppurative / Q000209:etiology*