Cholesterol granuloma in a thyroglossal duct cyst. A case report

Abstract

Cholesterol granuloma (CG), as pointed out by Friedman (1974), is not a clinical entity but a part of the pathology of otitis media. Indeed, it may be found in conjunction with chronic otitis media and mastoiditis, in patients who have a tympanic membrane perforation, or behind an intact tympani membrane resembling a glomus tumour (Miglets and Booth, 1981). Nevertheless, CG has been described also in the maxillary sinus (Radnai, 1972; Bignardi, 1962) and in the sphenoid sinus (Wyler et al., 1974), and in other pathological entities such as atheromatous and dermoid cysts, periapical and follicular cysts of the jaw, old infarcts and hematoma (Korthals Altes, 1966; Campanella et al., 1979). CG was described also in conjunction with cholesteatoma of the frontal and ethmoidal sinuses (Calcaterra and Schwartz, 1976; Campanella et al., 1979). A case of CG in a thyroglossal duct cyst, not yet described, is presented.