The role of pre-operative infection in the recurrence of thyroglossal duct cyst.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the role of pre-operative infection in thyroglossal duct cyst recurrence and post-operative complications of Sistrunk procedure.

METHODOLOGY

Medical records of 55 patients undergoing thyroglossal duct cyst excision from 1998 to 2005 were reviewed. The following data was collected: age at operation, gender, surgical technique, presence and length of infection prior to operation, time interval between resolution of infection and operation, recurrence, management of recurrence, and complications.

RESULTS

Forty-two patients (76.3%) had no recurrence following Sistrunk procedure, while 13 patients (23.7%) underwent one or more additional procedures due to recurrence. Our results indicate that 61.5% (8 of 13) of those with a failed Sistrunk had pre-operative thyroglossal cyst infection that lasted more than 6 months. In 92.3% of patients with recurrence, the interval between resolution of infection and time of operation was less than one month.

CONCLUSION

Effective treatment of thyroglossal duct cyst infection, at least one month pre-operatively, is warranted to reduce post-operative recurrence rate.