Three Cases of Pediatric Tongue Base Cyst

Abstract

We encountered three cases of tongue base cysts. All three patients had respiratory symptoms, such as inspiratory wheezing, apnea, and depressed breath from the neonatal period, and were diagnosed by laryngeal fiberscopy, CT, and MRI examinations. In all the patients, fenestration was performed with traction of the base of the tongue, but in patient 2, the glottis could not be observed owing to the elimination of the cyst at the time of induction of anesthesia during the first operation, and an emergency tracheotomy was performed; fenestration was performed at a later date. All patients recovered without recurrence. Since this disease can cause sudden death, surgery is required as soon as possible after diagnosis. When infants have wheezing and other respiratory disorders, it is important to proceed with medical examination with the tongue base cyst in mind. Emergency airway maintenance may be necessary before surgery, and airway maintenance at the time of anesthesia induction may be a problem during surgery. Thus, collaboration among pediatricians, anesthesiologists, and otolaryngologists is important regarding preoperative airway evaluation and preparation, including tracheotomy in case of emergency, as emergency airway maintenance is necessary before surgery or if airway security during surgery becomes a problem.