Cervical bronchogenic cysts in head and neck region

Congenital cysts of the neck are not uncommon. Most of these are thyroglossal, branchial cleft and thymic cysts. Bronchogenic cysts are uncommon developmental anomalies of the tracheobronchial tree and rarely occur in the neck. More than 70 cases of bronchogenic cysts in the head and neck region have been reported in the literature. We report three cases presenting with neck swelling in the hyoid region that were diagnosed as bronchogenic cysts based on clinical and histopathological findings.     

Laryngeal cysts: clinical relevance of a modified working classification

Laryngeal cysts from 72 patients were examined and reclassified according to a modified working classification. In this series, 47 patients (66 per cent) had epithelial cysts, 11 patients (15 per cent) oncocytic cysts and 14 patients (19 per cent) tonsillar cysts. Epithelial cysts were commonest in the region of the epiglottis (20/47) and laryngeal ventricle (24/47). Oncocytic cysts tended to lie in the region of the ventricle whereas tonsillar cysts occurred almost exclusively in the valleculae, epiglottis and pyriform region (13/14). The authors conclude that the modified working classification of laryngeal cysts is easy to apply, of clinical relevance, and allows classification of cysts where operative trauma to the specimen obscures the relationship of the cyst to the surface epithelium. The origin and significance of tonsillar cysts are discussed and a relationship to the lympho-epithelial cyst of the oral cavity is suggested.     

Nasoalveolar cysts: review of 3 cases

Nasoalveolar cysts, also known as nasolabial cysts or Klestadt's cysts, are rare, nonodontogenic, soft-tissue lesions that arise during development of the maxilla. They occur lateral to the midline in the region of the maxillary lip and alar base. In this case report clinical features and treatment options of three patients with nasoalveolar cysts are discussed.     

Bilateral nasolabial cysts associated with recurrent dacryocystitis

OBJECTIVE: Nasolabial cysts are rare, nonodontogenic, soft-tissue, developmental cysts occurring inferior to the nasal alar region. They are thought to arise from remnants of the nasolacrimal ducts and they are frequently asymptomatic. We report a rare case of bilateral nasolabial cysts accompanied by bilateral chronic dacryocystitis. CASE REPORT: A 48-year-old woman suffering from bilateral chronic dacryocystitis was referred to our department for endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy. She had undergone external dacryocystorhinostomy on the left side a few years earlier. Physical examination and computed tomography scan revealed nasolabial cysts bilaterally inferior to the nasal alar region. The cysts were removed via a sublabial approach and endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy was performed on the right side. Ten months after surgery, the patient was asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: There may be a correlation, due to embryological reasons, between the presence of nasolabial cysts and the presence of chronic dacryocystitis. Both can be corrected surgically, under the same anaesthesia, without visible scar formation.     

Angeborene Kehlkopfzysten

Congenital cysts of the larynx occur rarely. Their incidence amounts to about 1.8/100,000 newborns. Most frequently, these cysts are located in the supraglottic region, 75% of them within the plica aryepiglottica. The leading symptoms, inspiratoric stridor, cyanosis, and jugular and epigastric retractions, are caused by blockage of the airway. Therefore, laryngeal cysts often lead to severe respiratory obstruction immediately post partum, giving rise to an emergency intervention. The case report demonstrates a newborn with a laryngeal cyst located in the region of the right plica aryepiglottica. After emergency intubation, a primary punction and, some days later, a secondary endoscopic cyst removal were performed.     

Sublingual contiguous thyroglossal and dermoid cysts in a neonate.

Thyroglossal duct cysts and dermoid cysts are two distinct lesions which can occur in the midline of the head and neck region. Different embryologic explanations for these two lesions have traditionally been accepted. Recent evidence, however, hints at an association between them. We present here a case in which both of these cysts occurred together in an unusual anatomic location, along with a discussion of the possible relationship between these two pathologic entities.     

Cervical bronchogenic cysts: a consideration in the differential diagnosis of pediatric cervical cystic masses

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical and histopathologic features of cervical bronchogenic cysts. METHODS: Retrospective case series. RESULTS: A 22-year pathology database search identified 24 patients 18 years of age and younger with bronchial/bronchogenic cysts, four of which presented in the cervical region. CONCLUSION: Cervical bronchogenic cysts are rare in the pediatric population but deserve inclusion in the differential diagnosis of cystic neck masses. Such cysts result from abnormal tracheobronchial tree development with characteristic pathology including respiratory-type epithelium, mural cartilage, smooth muscle, and seromucinous glands. Definitive treatment requires surgical excision.     

Congenital cysts and fistulas of the neck

This retrospective study describes a series of 191 children treated for congenital cysts and fistulas of the neck between 1984 and 1999 in the pediatric ORL Department of La Timone Children's Hospital. Preauricular fistulas and cystic hygromas were not included. The anomalies in this series were classified as either malformations of the midline or malformations of laterocervical region. Malformations of the midline included the thyroglossal duct cysts (n=102) and dermoid cysts (n=21). The most common malformations of the laterocervical region were cysts and fistulas of the second cleft (n=37) followed by those of the first cleft (n=20),those of the fourth pouch (n=7), and thymic cysts (n=4). Diagnosis of malformations of the midline is usually straightforward. However, diagnosis of malformation of the laterocervical region can be problematic. Misdiagnosis often leads to inadequate treatment with recurrence and functional as well as cosmetic sequelae.     

True lateral dermoid cyst of the floor of the mouth

Congenital dermoid cysts of the floor of the mouth are relatively rare but when they occur, they do so inevitably in the midline. We present a case of a true lateral dermoid cyst of this region without any intra-oral extension. We discuss the anatomical and histological classification of dermoid cysts within the floor of the mouth.     

Seltene Ursache einer fazialen nasalen Asymmetrie

Nasoalveolar cysts are rare nonodontogenic cysts that develop from the soft tissue in the mucobuccal area of the nasal ala. Their origin is a residuum of the nasolacrimal canal. CLINICAL CASE: A 45-year-old woman had been aware of a painless tumor at the base of the nose and in the region of the left nasal ala for several months. We diagnosed a nasolabial cyst, which was extirpated in toto through a combined transvestibular-transnasal approach.     

Upper lip swelling caused by a large dentigerous cyst

Swelling of the upper lip can result from various diseases such as salivary tumors, infectious and inflammatory diseases and cysts. Among the latter, dentigerous cysts, typically involving unerupted teeth, are sometimes associated with supernumerary teeth in the maxillary anterior incisors region called the mesiodens. We report an unusual case of a large dentigerous cyst associated with an impacted mesiodens in a 42-year-old male who presented with a slow-growing swelling in the upper lip.     

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the frontal sinus

Aneurysmal bone cysts are benign, vascular, cystic osseous tumors. Approximately 2% of all aneurysmal bone cysts are found in the head and neck region, with the most common site being the mandible. We report a case of an aneurysmal bone cyst arising from the frontal sinus in a pediatric patient. The diagnosis was suggested through various radiographic studies, with the final pathologic diagnosis confirmed after tumor excision. Complete en-bloc excision was performed by using a bifrontal craniotomy approach, with immediate reconstruction of the defect by using a split calvarial bone graft.     

Cysts of the larynx : A clinicopathologic study of nine cases

In this only report from India, nine patients with laryngeal cysts have been diagnosed in the 24 year period from Jan 1971 through Jan 1996 representing 0.01 % of 1,05,279 general biopsies and 1.16% of 774 laryngeal biopsies received. The patients were mainly male with a mean age of 48.87 years. They presented with laryngeal obstructive symptoms. Six of the patients were chronic cigarette smokers. None had history of voice abuse. Laryngoscopic examination showed solitary cysts situated in the supraglottic region in seven cases and in the true vocal cords in two. Using modified DeSanto’s classification of laryngeal cysts putforth by Newman et al (1984), four were ductal, three saccular and one of tonsillar type. However, one of the cysts having features of an epidermoid cyst could not fit into the classification. The major proposed classifications of laryngeal cysts which are in practice have resulted in much confusion for both clinicians and pathologists and these have been studied in depth and their implications discussed here.     

Clinical and morphological aspects of laryngeal cysts

To our knowledge only a few defined studies have been carried out on laryngeal cysts. These cysts represent a mixed group of benign laryngeal lesions that can cause diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The aim of this study was to characterize their histological structure and localizations in the larynx as well as to discuss theories about their genesis. Between 1973 and 1996, 342 laryngeal cysts were treated at Phillips University of Marburg, while from 1990 to 1996, 74 were treated at Justus Liebig University of Giessen. In all, 416 laryngeal cysts were treated by endolaryngeal microsurgery. All clinical charts were reviewed retrospectively and surgical specimens examined histomorphologically. Findings showed that 58.2% of the laryngeal cysts were located in the glottic area and 18.3% in the ventricular folds. The remainder were located on the aryepiglottic fold (2.2%) and interarythenoid region (0.7%). Two congenital cysts were also treated. Approximately 56% of the laryngeal cysts were lined by squamous cell epithelium, 37% by respiratory epithelium and 7% by oncocytic epithelium. In general, the laryngeal cysts were found to be a collection of inhomogenous lesions from different histogenetic origins with diverse symptoms related to their site and size. On the basis of our investigations, a new classification was established concerning the genesis and development of laryngeal cysts by subdividing cysts into congenital cysts, retention cysts, and inclusion cysts.     

Primary hydatid cyst of the posterior cervical triangle

Hydatid cysts in the cervical region are extremely rare. We report herein a case with a hydatid cyst that was primarily located in the posterior cervical triangle without any pulmonary or hepatic involvement. A hydatid cyst of the neck should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions in the cervical region, in endemic areas, so as to avoid any dangerous complications such as contamination and a fatal anaphylactic reaction.     

Retention cysts of the vocal cords (author's transl)]

Present day knowledge in laryngology maintains that the free edge of the true cord mucosa is devoid of glands so that retention cysts should not occur in this tissue. When such cysts do occur, it is difficult to define their pathogenesis. Reference is made to the author's earlier study which found a regular occurrence of mucous glands in the squamous epithelial region of the vocal cords. A retention cyst in the true cord is described histologically in the present report. The glands responsible for these cysts are believed to function by moistening the mucous membrane of the vocal cords.     

A cervical bronchogenic cyst in an adult

An unusual case of a bronchogenic cyst arising in the retrosternal region and presenting as a midline neck cyst in an elderly patient is reported. These cysts are rare congenital anomalies found more commonly in the thorax in a paediatric population and very rarely present in the adult age and in the neck.     

Iatrogenic epidermoid cyst of the parotid region following ear surgery

Iatrogenic implantation of squamous epithelium may result in formation of an epidermoid cyst. These cysts have been described in various sites around the head and neck following otological procedures. A case of iatrogenic epidermal cyst in the parotid region following repeated myringoplasty is reported. The clinical features and differential diagnosis are discussed.     

Lateral cervical anomalies and salivary heterotopia

It is widely accepted that most lateral cervical fistulas with an external opening in the suprasternal region orginate from second branchial arch remnants. Lateral cervical cysts occur higher in the neck and, according to current theories, may develop either from the branchial apparatus or from glandular inclusions in cervical lymph nodes. An histological study revealed salivary tissue in 9 of 24 fistulas, 5 of these representing a congenital cervical salivary sinus, while only one of 17 cysts showed salivary heterotopia. This investigation indicates that salivary tissue may occur more commonly in the lateral neck than is generally realised, and that lateral cervical cysts and fistulas probably differ in their histogenesis.     

A unique case of an epidermoid cyst of the pterygopalatine fossa and its management

Epidermoid cysts are rare benign tumors that are derived from the development of abnormally situated ectodermal tissue. Although they may originate from any part of the body head and neck region is occasionally affected. Epidermoid cyst originating from pterygopalatine fossa has not been reported previously in the literature. We report the first case of epidermoid cyst of pterygomaxillary fossa in this study.