Thyroglossal duct cyst on the suprasternal region: An extremely unusual location

A thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) is the most common cause of congenital midline anterior neck mass. It arises as a cystic expansion of a remnant of the thyroglossal duct anywhere between the foramen cecum of tongue and the isthmus of the thyroid. They are found in juxtaposition to the hyoid bone in 85 % of cases. Based on the obtainable information, it has been documented that there exist only two reported instances of a thyroglossal duct cyst occurring on the suprasternal region, which is contemplated as an atypical location for TGDCs. The atypical location of the swelling and difficulty of diagnosis made us report this case.

This case report describes a 30 years old female patient who presented with a suprasternal swelling which was diagnosed to be a suprasternal TGDC after histopathology and a review of the literature on this topic.

Thyroglossal duct cysts are usually asymptomatic, but may occasionally be infected by bacteria in the oral cavity, prompting the patient to seek medical care. It is mainly diagnosed at an early age if it is located on common anatomic areas. Later age of presentation or an unusual site like in this case makes the diagnosis difficult. Sistrunk procedure is the treatment of choice.

Thyroglossal duct cyst at the suprasternal location is a very rare occurrence, but should be considered by the evaluating surgeon when he/she encounters midline neck swellings across all age groups.