What is Second branchial cleft fistula?

What is Second branchial cleft fistula?

Second branchial cleft fistulae are congenital anomalies of embryonic development of branchial apparatus with the external cutaneous ostium in the lateral neck connecting to the tonsillar fossa.

What is Branchial fistula?

Branchial cleft fistulae are rare congenital abnormalities that arise from the abnormal persistence of branchial apparatus remnants. A complete fistula is a tract that has an internal opening and an external opening.

What causes branchial fistula?

Branchial fistulas occur when one opening forms specifically between the skin and throat lining (pharynx), draining mucus out of the neck. Branchial cleft cysts occur when there is no external opening and liquid cannot drain out of the neck. Then, a collection of fluid forms.

What is the most common site of pharyngeal fistula is?

In the normal course a persistent fistula of the second branchial cleft and pouch passes from the external opening in the mid or lower third of neck in the line of the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, deep to platysma along the carotid sheath.

What is inside a branchial cleft cyst?

Branchial cleft cysts are lined with stratified squamous epithelium and may contain keratinous debris inside the cyst. In some cases, the cyst wall is lined by ciliated columnar epithelium resulting in more mucoid contents. Lymphoid tissue is typically present surrounding the epithelial lining.

How common are branchial cleft cysts?

The exact incidence of branchial cleft cysts in the US population is unknown. Branchial cleft cysts are the most common congenital cause of a neck mass. An estimated 2-3% of cases are bilateral. A tendency exists for cases to cluster in families.

Do Branchial cysts have to be removed?

The treatment for branchial cleft cysts and sinus tracts is surgical removal. There is no known medical therapy with the exception that infected branchial cleft cysts and sinus tracts do require initial antibiotic treatment. The infection should be resolved before surgery is performed.

Why do Branchial cysts form?

Branchial cleft cysts form during development of the embryo. They occur when tissues in the neck and collarbone area (branchial cleft) fail to develop normally. The birth defect may appear as open spaces called cleft sinuses, which may develop on one or both sides of the neck.

Are branchial cysts benign?

Introduction. Branchial cleft cysts are benign lesions caused by anomalous development of the branchial cleft. Cases that arise in the lateral neck region are often misdiagnosed, resulting initially in inappropriate management.

What is the meaning of the second branchial fistula?

Second branchial cleft fistulae are congenital anomalies of embryonic development of branchial apparatus with the external cutaneous ostium in the lateral neck connecting to the tonsillar fossa.

How many fistulas are found on the right side?

Only 39% are complete fistulae, linking the skin to the pharynx, with the majority (50%) only having a draining sinus; 11% have internal opening alone 1 .Bilateral fistulae found in 2-10% of cases. In patients with unilateral fistulae, 70% occurs on the right side 1 .

Why do I have a fistula on my sinus?

A sinus may also result from spontaneous drainage of a cyst onto the skin or pha- ryngeal mucosa or following incision and drainage. A fistula results from a commu- nication between a branchial cleft and pouch.

Where does the fistula of the sternomastoid end?

It crosses the angle of the mandible, courses through parotid and terminates near the bony-cartilaginous junction of the external auditory canal (Figures 9, 11-13). Figure 11: A: Fistula at anterior border of sternomastoid; B: fistula tract (black ar- row) deep to VIIn (white arrow) displacing the nerve laterally (Choi JH, Woo HY.