Thyroglossal duct remnant carcinoma: Beyond the Sistrunk procedure

Thyroglossal duct remnants (TGDRs) account for more than 70% of anterior neck masses in children and 7% in adults; however, cancer is identified in only 1–2% of the cases. The diagnosis of a TGDR is based on clinical manifestation of a painless, anterior neck swelling, which elevates with swallowing. Cytological evaluation with fine needle aspiration and biopsy (FNAB) may facilitate the pre-operative diagnosis of malignancy, as the majority of TGDR cancers are of papillary histotype. The recommended treatment for symptomatic TGDR without evidence of malignancy is a Sistrunk procedure, which entails en bloc resection of the remnant and the mid-portion of the hyoid bone.
Source: Surgical Oncology - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research