Lingual thyroid in children: a rare clinical entity.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Endocrinology
• Congenital Anomalies

Background:

• Lingual thyroid is a rare congenital anomaly where thyroid tissue is located in the tongue.
• It can lead to significant symptoms, particularly in children, due to airway obstruction or feeding difficulties.
• Diagnosis and management require a multidisciplinary approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical presentation of lingual thyroid in children.
• To evaluate the management strategies and surgical outcomes for pediatric lingual thyroid.
• To assess the long-term hormonal needs following treatment.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of pediatric patients with lingual thyroid from 1993-2004.
• Data collected included patient demographics, clinical presentation, imaging findings (MRI, thyroid scan), endocrine evaluation, surgical approach, pathology, and outcomes.
• Analysis focused on presentation, management, complications, and need for hormonal replacement.

Main Results:

• Four pediatric patients (all female, age 2-12) presented with lingual thyroid masses (1.4-3.5 cm).
• Common symptoms included respiratory or feeding difficulties; imaging confirmed ectopic thyroid tissue.
• All patients required surgical excision and lifelong thyroid hormone replacement; no malignancy was found.

Conclusions:

• Lingual thyroid is a rare congenital anomaly often presenting with obstructive symptoms.
• Comprehensive work-up includes thyroid function tests, scintigraphy, and imaging (CT/MRI).
• Surgical excision is frequently necessary, with most patients requiring long-term thyroid hormone replacement.