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branchial cleft cyst

Etiology: - failure of obliteration of the second branchial cleft during embryonic development Epidemiology: - most common ccause of congenital neck mass [2] Pathology: - the cyst wall is composed of either squamous or columnar cells with lymphoid infiltrates - germinal centers may be present - the cyst may contain granular and keratinaceous cellular debris & cholesterol crystals [3] Clinical manifestations: - solitary, painless mass in the neck of a child or a young adult - intermittent swelling & tenderness of the mass during upper respiratory tract infection may occure - discharge may occur if the lesion is associated with a sinus tract - in some cases, locally compressive symptoms may occur [2] Radiology: - computed tomography (CT) - magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - ultrasound Complications: - infected cyst Management: - antibiotics for infected cyst - surgery

Related

branchial arch; pharyngeal arch

General

branchial cleft remnant cyst

References

  1. PubMed Health: Branchial cleft cyst http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002371/
  2. Hong HG and James WD Medscopae: eMedicine: Branchial Cleft Cyst
  3. Wikipedia: Branchial cleft cyst http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branchial_cleft_cyst