Why Central Neck Dissection Works (and Fails) for Recurrent Thyroglossal Duct Remnants

Does thyroglossal duct arborization play a role in the post-surgical outcome of Sistrunk procedure in children?

PURPOSE

The purpose of the present study is to analyze thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) histopathological features, with focus on "arborization", in a cohort of pediatric patients who underwent surgical removal, and evaluate a possible correlation with clinical recurrences.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent surgical resection for TGDC at the division of Pediatric Surgery of the University of Pisa from 2015 to 2020 was performed; for each patient, the following data were recorded: age, sex, clinical presentation, localization, size of the lesion, diagnostic tools, histopathological features, perioperative complications, recurrence and follow-up.

RESULTS

With respect to arborization, following histopathological analysis 25/30 patients (83.3%) presented thyroglossal duct branching. After a median follow-up of 3.5 years, only 2 out of 30 patients (6.7%), one male and one female, respectively aged 4 y.o. and 6 y.o., presented recurrence within one year from first surgery.

CONCLUSION

Surgery for TGDC remains a challenge for pediatric surgeons, while arborization was present in most of our cases which underwent surgery. With respect to the role of arborization, our study did not highlight sufficient conclusive data regarding their role in recurrence: instead, it showed wide resection as satisfactory, being the arborization present in most of the cases at histopathology.

OK-432 treatment of pediatric patients with recurrent thyroglossal duct cyst after surgery

<b>Introduction:</b> Recurrent thyroglossal duct cyst after surgery is not a rare condition and first-line treatment has not been established yet.<br/><br/> <b>Aim:</b> Evaluation of outcomes and complications of OK-432 treatment in patients with recurrent thyroglossal duct cyst after surgery. <br/><br/> <b>Material and methods:</b> This study is designed as a case series with planned data collection at Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University and Fukase Clinic. Five patients with recurrent thyroglossal duct cyst after surgery received this therapy between January 2014 and February 2020 on an outpatient basis, without hospitalization. OK-432 solution was injected into the lesion using an 18- or 27-gauge needle, depending on the location and size of the lesion, as well as on possible complications.<br/> <br/> <b>Results:</b> Lesions showed marked reduction or total shrinkage in all patients, with no local scarring or deformity at the injection site. Side effects manifested as local pain at the site of injection and fever (37.5-38.5°C) observed in three patients, but the symptoms resolved within a few days.<br/> <br/> <b>Conclusions:</b> Since OK-432 therapy is simple, easy, safe and effective, it can be used as an alternative to surgery in the treatment of recurrent thyroglossal duct cyst after surgery.