Thyroglossal duct surgery. What is the acceptable recurrence rate

OBJECTIVES To present experiences of different specialties in the treatment of thyroglossal duct cysts (TGDCs) and subsequent complications in multiple centers.  Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of all cases of TGDC for a period of 11 years from 2008-2019 by different departments from 3 different centers in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Bakhsh Hospital and International Medical Center). Results: Forty-nine patients were included. The type of surgery performed plays a significant role in recurrence (p less than 0.001). The Sistrunk procedure had a lower recurrence rate (0%) than simple excision (70%) and has showed a significantly long recurrence-free interval (p less than 0.001). Higher recurrence rates are associated with higher postoperative complications (p=0.002). Patients who underwent pre-operative fine needle aspiration did not have any recurrence during the follow-up period. Conclusion: The Sistrunk procedure is the gold standard technique with the highest recurrence-free interval rate. Fine needle aspiration could be recommended as a less invasive procedure to exclude malignancy.