Functioning thyroglossal cyst and concurrent ectopic thyroid in the floor of the mouth without an orthotopic thyroid gland

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a 20-year-old man with a constellation of anomalies - a functional thyroglossal cyst and concurrent ectopic thyroid in the floor of the mouth, without an orthotopic thyroid gland. To our knowledge, this is the third such report in the otolaryngology literature. It is important to be aware of the possibility of concurrent ectopic thyroid and thyroglossal cyst in the absence of an orthotopic thyroid gland. The majority of reported cases of thyroid ectopy occur at the base of the tongue. The occurrence of an ectopic thyroid in the floor of the mouth is both unusual and not amenable to clinical examination. Even if there is good uptake on nuclear imaging, the ectopic thyroid may be hypofunctioning. We discuss the importance of thyroid imaging, as well as the need for preoperative imaging and an appropriate management strategy in the treatment of patients with this triad of anomalies.