title: [Thyroglossal duct cysts in paediatric patients: early operative intervention reduces rate of complications].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thyroglossal duct cysts arise from mucus production in an incomplete regressed thyroglossal duct. Often they are only noticed in case of infection or secondary fistulation. The operative management is a Sistrunk procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective study we analyse 26 patients aged 0,3 - 10 years with histological confirmed thyroglossal duct cysts, 13 of these (50 %) had signs of infection. In 15 patients the cyst was primarily cored out, in 11 patients the core out followed a primarily incision and drainage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  5 patients (19 %) developed recurrent cysts. Patients with signs of infection or incomplete resection of hyoid bone had a high risk of developing recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We propose an early operative treatment for thyroglossal duct cysts with a complete Sistrunk procedure.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Kinderchirurgie, Graz, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Bismarck
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Höllwarth
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors