A Clinical Study of Branchial Cleft Cyst

새성 낭종의 임상적 고찰

Branchial cleft cyst is rarely encountered congenital neck disease. It is commonly believed that the branchial anomaly is persistance of remnant of the embryologic branchial apparatus. Among the patients visited Kyung Hee Medical Center with neck mass and inflammatory sign from January, 1980 to Aprial, 1994, we reviewed 26 cases of branchial cleft cysts confirmed by histopathologic findings with retrospective study on clinical aspects. The results are as follows: 1) There was no sex difference(14 male and 12 female), and most common between 2nd and 4th decade(21 cases, 80%). 2) Palpable mass was most common complaint(21 cases). In physical exam, the mass was non-tender, mobile and soft in most cases(over 80%). 3) The most common lesion site was anterior triangle in 15 cases. Along the SCM level, 21 cases were in upper 1/3, 2 cases in middle 1/3 and 3 cases in lower 1/3. 4) According to Bailey's classification, type II were 20 cases(76.9%), type I 5 cases(19.2%) and type III 1 case. 5) Among 28 cases, fistulous tract was found in 6 cases: one was complete type and 5 were incomplete type. 6) Among 26 cases before operation, 10 cases were diagnosed as branchial cleft cyst, 6 cases tuberculosis, 3 cases parotid tumor and 2 cases thyroglossal duct cyst. 7) Type of lining epithelium in histopathologic finding was stratified squamous epithelium in 22 cases(84.6%), mixed type in 4 cases(15.4%).