[Atypical form of acute suppurative thyroiditis in pediatric patient: case report]

Acute thyroiditis is an unusual disease. In pediatric patients it is usually associated with congenital abnormalities towards the unilateral envelopment of the left thyroid lobe. In general, in the absence of preexisting thyroid disease, the thyroid function is most often normal. It is here described a case of a six-year-old girl who had presented a mass with flogistic signs in the anterior neck region for fifteen days, together with leukocytosis and increased levels of VSH and TSH. There was no evidence of previous thyroid disease and the cervical ultrasonography suggested thyroid abscess. Intravenous antibiotic and surgical drainage were done with a good response, however, the patient developed clinical hypothyroidism afterwards. Barium swallow did not demonstrate pyriform sinus fistula and the follow-up ultrasonography revealed heterogeneous internal texture suggesting Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The relevance of this case is due to its unusual findings: the absence of congenital abnormalities, bilateral envelopment of thyroid lobes, hypothyroidism and a probable Hashimoto's thyroiditis as a predisposing factor for acute thyroiditis.