Transoral robotic resection of a lingual thyroglossal duct cyst

Thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) are epithelial rests of the thyroid gland left during embryologic descent from the tongue base. Thyroglossal duct cysts confined to the tongue base alone are even more unusual. We present a case of a 45-year-old woman who presented with complaints of sore throat, globus, and throat clearing for 10 years. On examination she was found to have a 2 × 1.5-cm cystic-appearing mass, left of midline in the vallecula. The patient had a transoral robotic resection of this vallecular cyst, which was subsequently found to be a lingual TGDC. We believe this is the first reported case of a TGDC that was successfully excised using a transoral robotic approach.