Diagnosis and Treatment of Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Thyroglossal Duct Cysts*

Abstract

Abstract Forty euthyroid patients with cystic neck masses, diagnosed by echography, had these cysts aspirated percutaneously (35 patients) or at operation (5 patients). There were 25 women and 15 men; 36 had thyroid cysts, 2 had thyroglossal cysts, and 2 had parathyroid cysts. All cyst fluid was benign by cytological examination, and in the 14 patients treated by operation, the lesions were benign. All patients were given L-T4 after aspiration. The follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 4.5 yr, with a mean duration of 1.5 yr. Among the 35 patients treated by aspiration, 14 patients (40%) had complete regression of the cyst, including 1 patient with a parathyroid cyst, and 10 patients (29%) had marked regression with minimal residual lesion. The remaining 11 patients (31%), including 2 patients with thyroglossal duct cysts, had unsuccessful aspirations; 9 of these had persistent thyroid lesions immediately after aspiration. No complications occurred during 49 percutaneous aspirations or 14 operations. An...