A Case of Endolaryngeal Extension of a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst

Abstract

Thyroglossal duct cyst is the most commonly seen of midline congenital neck masses. We encountered a case of endolaryngeal extension of a thyroglossal duct cyst. A 66-year-old man presented to us complaining of a swelling in the neck and an abnormal sensation in the throat. A cystic lesion was suspected on magnetic resonance imaging, and CT showed a normal thyroid in the anterior neck. Considering the two finidings together, we made the diagnosis of a thyroglossal duct cyst. The differential diagnosis of a cystic lesion in the larynx include laryngocele and saccular cyst. In this case, the cyst enlarged gradually from an extralaryngeal position into the larynx through the thyrohyoid membrane and into the paraepiglottic space. A thyroglossal cyst can sometimes cause dyspnea, and such patients must be followed up carefully.