title: Clinical characteristics and surgical treatment outcomes of vallecular cysts in adults.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that transoral complete excision is the ideal treatment for adult vallecular cyst to avoid life-threatening acute airway obstruction and disease recurrence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to review the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment outcomes of vallecular cysts in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review was performed at Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital from January 2009 to December 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine patients (≥ 19-years-of-age) with a vallecular cyst were identified. Most of the patients had minimal or no symptoms at diagnosis. The presence of a vallecular cyst was confirmed in all of the patients by fiberoptic laryngoscopy. All of the cases with a vallecular cyst were treated by the transoral surgical procedure. Recurrence of the vallecular cyst was identified in two (22.2%) patients. One patient had been disease-free after the third operation through the transoral approach. Another patient who underwent marsupialization has been observed without surgery. There were no major complications resulting from surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital , Hwasun, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital , Hwasun, South Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Mi
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital , Hwasun, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Kyoo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital , Hwasun, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth; D057605:Natural Orifice Endoscopic Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Vallecular; adult; cyst; excision; transoral