[Diagnosis and management of piriform sinus fistulae in children].

In 12 patients with piriform sinus fistula, aged from 1.5 to 10 years all but one patient presented themslves with inflammatory swelling in the region of the left lobe of the thyroid gland. During acute infection, the involvement of the left thyroid lobe was verified by ultrasonography and scintigraphy. Barium swallow examination was the diagnostic finding that all the 11 patients had a left-sided fistula. One patient presented with a painless cyst in the left thyroid lobe. Six patients operated on 4 underwent fistulectomy. In patient the fistula was not found. In the patient who had a cyst in the thyroid lobe, fistulectomy and cystectomy were done. All these patients did well postoperatively without recurrence. Six other patients were followed up without operation with in 1-6 years. Five patients remained asymptomatic. One patient had 3 recurrences during a 2 years follow-up period. Piriform sinus fistula is the most common underlying abnormality in the patients with acute suppurative thyroiditis. A better understanding about this rare branchial anomaly is of clinical importance.