Abstract
Lingual thyroglossal-duct cysts cause severe dyspnea at infancy. Thus, early diagnosis and early therapy are required. A case of such a cyst in an infant is presented. The baby (gestational age: 40 weeks, normal delivery, birth weight: 3222 g) experienced stridor and difficulty suckling at three weeks of age. The endoscopic examination showed a tumor at the tongue base. Computer tomography (CT), technetium cintigraphy (Tc-C), and ultrasonography (UG) all suggested a cystic lesion. The stridor and dyspnea were worsered and we chose to do a cystectomy under general anesthesia. A tracheostomy under mask anesthesia was performed, since it was impossible to intubate by the nasal or the oral route. The cyst wall was so thick that it was difficult to deliver through the rigid scope. The cyst was finally removed via a neck skin incision. A thyroglossal-duct cyst at the base of the tongue is rare, but is sometimes found during autopsy. Such cysts may present in adulthood or in infancy. In particular, stridor can appear not only at the time of birth, but also at a few weeks after birth, as in this case. Thus, endoscopic examination is required when a baby has stridor at this time. The examination of CT, Tc-C, and UG is required for the diagnosis differentialis of this disease.
