# A Rare Recurrence of a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Accompanied by Several Postoperative Complications in an Eight-Year-Old Boy: A Case Report

## TL;DR

This case report describes a rare recurrence of a thyroglossal duct cyst in a child after surgery and sclerotherapy, highlighting unusual clinical challenges.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in documenting a rare recurrence of TGDC with multiple postoperative complications in a pediatric patient.

## Key findings

- The Sistrunk operation failed to completely remove the thyroglossal duct cyst in an eight-year-old boy.
- Sclerotherapy was ineffective in eliminating the cyst remnants and symptoms.
- The recurrence raises questions about standard treatment approaches for TGDCs.

## Abstract

A thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) is a fluid-filled mass in the neck resulting from the persistence of a duct from fetal development that typically regresses spontaneously. When it persists, it is most often removed in a surgical procedure known as a Sistrunk operation. This case study presents the intriguing case of an eight-year-old boy who presented to an otolaryngology clinic with both a recurrence of his TGDC, as well as several postoperative complications, after the Sistrunk operation was performed. After the initial procedure resulted in an incomplete removal of the TGDC, the patient was referred to Interventional Radiology for sclerotherapy. After several rounds of this treatment technique the cyst remnants still persisted along with their associated symptoms. Due to the very low likelihood of a recurrence being observed after surgical removal with subsequent sclerotherapy, the reappearance of the cyst raised several clinical questions. This report underscores the significance of a thorough evaluation and consideration of unique presentations when confronted with recurrent TGDCs.