A 4-year-old child has a midline neck swelling that moves upward on swallowing and also on tongue protrusion. It was found to be a thyroglossal cyst. During surgical excision, which part of which bone must be removed to prevent recurrence?
- A The central portion (body) of the hyoid bone — Sistrunk's operation ✓
- B The entire hyoid bone
- C The lesser cornu of the hyoid bone only
- D The anterior arch of the cricoid cartilage
Correct answer: A. The central portion (body) of the hyoid bone — Sistrunk's operation
Explanation
Sistrunk's operation is the standard procedure for thyroglossal cyst excision: removal of the cyst along with a core of tissue up to the base of the tongue, which includes excision of the central portion (body) of the hyoid bone. The thyroglossal tract passes through or near the hyoid body, and failure to remove this segment leads to the high recurrence rate seen with simple cystectomy. The operation was described by Walter Sistrunk in 1920 and reduces recurrence from 50% to under 4%.
Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.