[The surgical treatment of thyroglossal duct cysts and fistulae].

The authors report the results of treatment in 20 patients with thyroglossal duct cysts and/or fistula. Three patients underwent the standard Sistrunk's operation (excision of the cyst with resection of the duct above the hyoid bone with the portion of the muscle surrounding to the foramen caecum), 13 patients were submitted to a modified Sistrunk's operation (removal of the cyst and/or fistula and resection of the middle portion of the hyoid bone with dissection above it only with macroscopic evidence of duct epithelium) and 4 patients underwent less radical procedures. There were no recurrence in those patients operated upon with the standard or modified Sistrunk's operation. On the contrary two recurrence were observed in patients operated in elsewhere by simple excising the cyst without hyoid bone resection. In conclusion the authors strongly support the modified Sistrunk's operation as treatment of choice in patients with thyroglossal duct cysts and fistula; This operative procedure can avoid long-term recurrence even though many authors suggest that only the standard Sistrunk's operation can guarantee the lowest rate of failures.