Thyroglossal Cyst: A Case and a Description of the Early Documentation in the Medical Literature.

Background: Thyroglossal cyst is a birth defect resulting from persistence of the thyroglossal duct. The aim of this paper is to present a case of pediatric thyroglossal cyst and to briefly describe the early documentation of the condition in the medical literature. Patients and methods: A case of childhood thyroglossal cyst is presented and a deep review of the literature is made with the aim of describing the early documentation of the condition in the medical literature Results: The occurrence of median cervical cysts was reported during the 1800s. However, Strübing (1892) was most probably the first to suggest that most of these reported cases had cysts of thyroglossal origin and not of branchial origin. In 1894, Herbert E Durham supported the suggestion of Strübing and described three cases of thyroglossal cyst. Walter Ellis Sistrunk developed the improved surgical method for the treatment of thyroglossal cyst during the 1920s that is still practiced until now. Conclusion: Herbert E Durham and Walter Ellis Sistrunk are the pioneers who are accredited for most of our current understanding of the clinical therapeutic aspects of thyroglossal cyst.