Adult vallecular cyst: thirteen-year experience.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the characteristics of adult vallecular cyst.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTINGS

A retrospective chart review from a university affiliated hospital.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Clinical manifestations and airway management of 38 consecutive adult patients with vallecular cyst admitted between 1992 and 2004 were studied.

RESULTS

Two distinct groups were identified: infected (n = 24) and noninfected (n = 14). Twenty-two (91.7%) patients of the former group had acute epiglottitis with an abrupt onset culminating in abscess formation in 19 (79.2%) and airway compromise in 9 (37.5%) compared with none in the noninfected group (P = 0.006). In 4 (18.2%) of 22 patients, the origin of the infected vallecular cyst was evident only after symptoms subsided. Three patients had recurrent acute epiglottitis. The noninfected group had a relatively prolonged mild clinical course.

CONCLUSIONS

Two types of vallecular cysts were characterized. Abscess formation was the hallmark of adult infected vallecular cyst.

SIGNIFICANCE

To improve patient care, endoscopic follow-up is advocated. In patients with recurrent episodes of acute epiglottitis, imaging is recommended.