Swellings of the Hyoid Bone Region

This chapter discusses the swellings that are commonly seen in the hyoid bone region, in the midline of the neck. It addresses the embryology, pathogenesis, sites, incidence, pathology, clinical picture, complications, investigations, differential diagnosis, and treatment of thyroglossal duct cyst. It also discusses rare conditions such as dual and triple thyroglossal cysts as well as thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma. In this chapter, median ectopic thyroid tissue is also discussed in terms of embryogenesis, etiology, classification, location, clinical presentation, pathology, evaluation, differential diagnosis, and management. This chapter also provides an overview of sub-hyoid bursitis and discusses its etiology, pathophysiology, clinical picture, investigations, differential diagnosis, and treatment. In addition, various tumors of the hyoid bone are discussed in this chapter, namely chondroblastoma, chondroma, osteoblastoma, osteoma, solitary plasmacytoma of bone, giant cell tumor, aneurysmal bone cyst, and hyoid bone metastasis.