A tongue-base cyst in an infant that required emergent endotracheal intubation and artificial respiration before endoscopic treatment

Abstract

  A two-month-old boy was sent to our clinic for difficulty in breathing. He had been experiencing stridor for one month before referral. He was put on a respirator for a month without any obvious causes to account for the symptoms. Computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested a cystic lesion of the pharyngeal and tongue base. We diagnosed a cyst that obstructed the upper airway. Resection of the cyst by a transoral approach was successfully performed using an endoscope under general anesthesia. The cyst was located lateral to the right side of the vallecula epiglottica. The histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a cyst, but the histological origin of the cyst was unclear. Stridor was resolved after the surgery, but he needed respiratory and nutritional support for another month after surgery. He has been free of symptoms and recurrence for a year since the surgery. Although an cyst at the base of the tongue is rare in infants, accurate diagnosis and treatment is of paramount importance for a good prognosis.