From May 1982 to September 1994, 13 cases patients with acute suppurative thyroiditis were treated. Their ages ranged from 6 to 39 years with a mean of 13. 9 years (nine of them were children). In this group, 8 cases had a pre-existing thyroid mass. Correct diagnosis were made preoperatively in 11 cases and the other two were misdiagnosed before operation. Eleven patients underwent incision and drainge, amony them 6 cases had been followed up with no recurrence. Based on this result and re-viewing literatures, the author draw the conclusion that acute suppurative thyoiditis is related with fistula of pyriform fossa, incision and drainage must be carried out and if there is fistula present, fistulectomy should be performed.
