Among the swellings there are solid and cystic type. Can occur in children and adults and if the duration of the swelling is short, detailed evaluation and investigation has to be done. It may present any where in the neck, upper, middle, lower or side of the neck. Sometimes it could be a lymph node draining a cancerous site.
Here am focussing on a cystic swelling in front of the neck which is related to the thyroid gland and is known as THYROGLOSSAL CYST or thyroglossal duct cyst.
WHAT IS THYROGLOSSAL CYST ?
This cystic swelling is due to a congenital (from birth) abnormality. Normally thyroid gland develops from a part of the tongue called foramen caecum and it comes down as a duct to lie in front of the neck before birth. This duct involutes in utero, but when it fails to involute, the duct remains in the neck. Cyst can develop anywhere along the path of the tract.
HOW DOES IT LOOK LIKE ?
Though it is present from birth, swelling appears during late childhood or adulthood. Site usually is in the midline but some times seen on the side of the neck. The characteristic feature of the swelling is that, it moves up on swallowing and protrusion of the tongue.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS ?
Cyst can get infected and present as a discharging fistula ( opening on the skin) ,
if it is cut or drainage of the pus is done. Rarely cancer can develop from the cyst.
Sometimes the cyst may be the only functioning thyroid tissue and it's removal can cause hypothyroidism. So always one has to look for normal thyroid gland, which can be examined clinically and by ultrasound.
HOW IS IT TREATED ?
If the cyst gets repeated infection and size gets bigger, the cyst along with the tract has to be removed to prevent recurrence.
This is in short about thyroglossal duct cyst.
PHOTO published with patient's consent.
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