Transoral robotic excision of a lingual thyroglossal duct cyst

Lingual thyroglossal duct cysts are a rare and potentially difficult to manage tongue base lesion. We report a case of transoral robotic surgical excision of a lingual thyroglossal duct cyst, in an adult patient. A 68-year-old man presented with a large base of tongue mass, with appearance on ultrasound and computed tomography consistent with a lingual thyroglossal duct cyst. We describe the surgical technique for transoral robotic excision of the cyst. The cyst was completely excised, and the patient had a smooth recovery. There has been no recurrence of the cyst. Transoral robotic surgery has several advantages over the conventional surgical approaches in the treatment of lingual thyroglossal duct cysts, including superior visualisation, and the ability of the robotic surgical system to manoeuvre instruments in a confined space. This enables complete excision, preventing recurrence of the cyst whilst also avoiding a neck scar. © 2017, Springer-Verlag London.