title: Outcome of thyroglossal duct cyst excision is independent of presenting age or symptomatology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) are the most common form of congenital neck cyst, accounting for up to 70% of such lesions. There has been no consensus on which factors predict outcome of thyroglossal duct cyst excision. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the relevance of symptomatology and age at presentation with outcome of TGDCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of patients with TGDC at a tertiary care children's hospital. Data collected included patient's age, gender, clinical presentation, presence or absence of preoperative infection, imaging modality, type of procedure performed, size and location of the lesion, postoperative infection, complications, and recurrence of disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine patients were identified (59% female, 41% male). Age of presentation was bimodal and ranged from 18 months to 14 years. The most common presenting symptom was the presence of an asymptomatic midline neck mass (76%). A history of preoperative TGDC infection was present in 22% of patients </=2 years of age and in 43% of patients >/=5 years of age. Recurrence rate after the Sistrunk procedure was 3.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of a midline neck mass is the most common presentation of TGDCs in toddlers, whereas infection is the most common presenting symptoms in school-aged children. The incidence of preoperative infection was 41% in our series, much higher than previously reported. Independent of presenting age and symptomatology, recurrence of TGDC remains low when the Sistrunk procedure is employed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.
authors.forename: Rupali
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gow
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Sobol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome