Thyroglossal duct cyst as a cause of dyspnea in a two-year-old child

Abstract

Introduction Thyroglossal duct cysts are developmental, epithelial lesions localized in the neck’s median line. They occur mainly in children and adolescents; however, they also occur in one-third of patients older than 20 years of age. The symptoms dependent on the size and location along the path of the thyroglossal duct.

Case outline This article presents a case, with diagnostic imaging and surgical treatment, of a two-year-old girl hospitalized due to dyspnea, caused by a large cyst localized at the base of the tongue during an upper respiratory tract infection. Before surgery, biochemical examinations, diagnostic imaging were performed to exclude ectopic thyroid tissue. Surgery was performed applying Sistrunk’s procedure, which entailed excising the cyst’s tissue at its origin.

Conclusion In patients presenting with thyroglossal duct cysts, upper respiratory tract infections increase the probability of discovering previously existing cysts. A cyst localized around the foramen cecum can cause inspiratory and expiratory dyspnea.

Keywords: thyroglossal duct cysts; dyspnea; children; Sistrunk’s procedure