Abstract
We report a rare case of a cyst which occurred at the base of the tongue in an adult. A 29-year-old female was seen as an out-patient with the chief complaint of an abnormal sensation in the pharynx and larynx. Laryngoscopy showed a tumor at the base of the tongue which was pushing the epiglottis backward. Both CT and MRI evaluations revealed a cystic lesion located in the middle of the base of the tongue. The cyst was totally removed by an external incision, and we did not recognize any cord connected to the cyst during the operation. The histopathological examination disclosed the wall of the cyst not to be covered with any epithelium at all. No clinical signs of recurrence of the cyst have been noticed for about one year after the operation. Most cysts occurring at the based of the tongue tend to be classified as diseases originating from the thyroid gland. We also compared any differences between similar infant and adult cases and the histological findings from a median cervical cyst.
