• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.12-17
• /
• 2009

Background and Objectives : Branchial anomaly is a common neck pathology seen by otolaryngologist. Although there is still controversy regarding the origin, almost all surgeon agree that branchial anomalies result from incomplete involution of the branchial apparatus. Depending on its anatomic location, branchial anomalies can be classified into first, second, third and fourth anomaly. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of different categories of branchial anomalies and to determine proper method of diagnosis and treatment. Subjects and Method : A retrospective chart review was conducted for 72 patients with branchial anomalies operated on at the Korea University Anam Hospital from 1996 to 2007. The patient's sex, age, presenting symptoms, classification, site of lesion, diagnostic studies, surgical therapy and post-operative surgical complication were reviewed. Results : Patients were commonly seen in the 3rd decades. Eleven patients(15.3%) were first branchial anomalies, 52(72.2%) were second, 1(1.4%) was third, and 8(11.1%) were fourth. Of the types of anomalies, cyst were most commonly seen. In cases of 3rd and 4th branchial anomalies, barium contrast study can delineate the course of sinus or fistula. All cases was operated on for branchial anomalies, there were no major post-operative complication. Conclusion : Cervical mass and recurrent cervical infection or abscess are suspect for branchial anomalies. Especially, clinical history of dysphagia, and recurrent painful swelling in the thyroid region in young patients should raise the suspicion of 3rd and 4th branchial anomalies. Careful history, clinical examination and radiographic study were essential parts in diagnosis of branchial anomalies. Although surgical management of branchial anomalies depend on its type, nature and extent, complete excision is the major surgical procedure.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.22-25
• /
• 1996

A very important and interesting problem occasionally seen in the neck of children and adults is a branchial cleft anomaly. It is a rare congenital neck disease and presents a painless palpable mass of neck in most cases. We have retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 28 patients operated upon for branchial cleft anomaly at Department of Surgery, Chonnam University Hospital between January, 1991 and December, 1995. Three of these lesions were considered to have originated from the first branchial cleft, and 25 from the second branchial cleft. Females are about twice more common than male patients. Pathological findings showed the cysts were lined squamous epithelium and subepithelial lymphoid follicles in most cases. Five out of 28 patients with branchial cleft anomalies had previous incision procedures. All patients after complete removal of branchial anomalies have no recurrences.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.107-112
• /
• 2002

Branchial anomaly is a frequently occurring congenital abnormality in childhood. It is important for the pediatric surgeon alike to be familiar with the embryology and differentiation of head and neck structure to accurately diagnose and treat these lesions. Eighty-five patients with branchial anomaly treated at Hanyang University Hospital between 1980 and 2001 were reviewed to determine relative frequency, clinical classification and appropriate treatment. The male to female ratio of branchial anomaly was 1.2:1. The most commonly presenting age was before 1 year (32%) and the age group between 1 and 3 year (22%) followed it. According to the classification of branchial anomalies, 73 of 85 cases were second branchial anomaly, 9 had the first type and 3 did fourth type. One patient showed combined anomalies of the first and the second type. Infection sign were seen in 70% of patients at the time of the first visit to our hospital and also patients' symptoms were frequently related with the infection. Forty-one cases (48%) were fistula, 21 (25%) were cysts, 21 (25%) were sinuses, and two were only cartilage remnants. The most common type of the branchial anomalies is the second branchial fistula and the most common symptoms of the anomalies are related with infection. Initial proper diagnosis and anatomical classification of the anomalies are very important in managing the lesions. The efforts to find the exact anatomical location of the fistula or sinus tract are necessary because total excision of the lesions including those tracts is the only way to prevent recurrence.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.162-169
• /
• 2011

Branchial cleft anomalies are the second most common head and neck congenital lesions seen in children. Amongst the branchial cleft malformations, second cleft lesions account for 95 % of the branchial anomalies. This article analyzes all the cases of second branchial cleft anomalies operated on at Seoul National University Hospital from September 1995 to February 2011. We analyzed sex, age, symptom and sign, accompanied anomaly, diagnosis, treatment, pathologic report and outcome via retrospective review of medical records. In this series, we had 61 patients (27 female and 34 male). The mean age at the time of operation was 38 months. 31 lesions were on the right, 20 were on the left and 10 were bilateral. The most frequent chief complaints at presentation were non-tender mass and cervical opening without any discharge. According to anatomic type, 29 patients had branchial cleft sinuses, 14 had cysts, 14 had fistulas and 4 had skin tags. Complete excision was attempted if possible and antibiotics challenged when infection was suspected. Complete excision was achieved in 96.7 % of cases. Incision and drainage was done in 2 cases due to severe inflammation, and both recurred. Postoperative complications included wound infection in 2 cases. Microscopic examonation revealed squamous epithelium in 90.2 % and squamous metaplasia in one case in the branchial cleft cyst wall. In summary, second branchial anomaly is found more frequently on right side of neck. Fistulas are diagnosed earlier than cystic forms. Most cases could be diagnosed by physical examination. The definitive treatment is complete excision and sufficient antibiotics coverage for cases with inflammation. After drainage of infected lesions, follow up excision after 1 year might be beneficial for preventing recurrence.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.7-14
• /
• 2001

Congenital anomalies of the head and neck region such as preauricular sinus and skin tag, thyroglossal duct cyst, branchial anomaly, cystic hygroma and dermoid cyst are common in pediatric population. It is important for pediatricians and pediatric surgeons to be familiar with the embryology and the anatomical characteristic of these lesions in order to diagnose and treat them properly. Three hundred and nineteen patients with congenital head and neck anomalies treated at Hanyang University Hospital between 1980 and 1999 were reviewed to determine the relative frequency of the anomalies and to analyze the method of management. Eight-four (25.1 %) of 335 lesions were preauricular sinus and skin tag, 81 (24.2 %) were thyroglossal duct cyst, 81 (24.2 %) branchial anomaly, 58 (17.3 %) cystic hygroma and 31 were (9.2 %) dermoid cyst. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1. Thyroglossal duct cyst most commonly present at 3-5years, however branchial anomalies commonly are diagnosed in children younger than 1 year. Preauricular sinus showed familial tendency in three patients and was bilateral is 33.8 %. Most head and neck anomalies in children have specific clinical and anatomical characterics. A careful history and physical examination is very useful for diagnosis and proper management. Experienced pediatric surgeons should do the initial surgery since the recurrence rate after incomplete surgical excision can be high.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.119-128
• /
• 1996

The survey on branchial anomalies was conducted by Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. A total of 173 cases were reported, which were managed by 36 members and cooperators during the three years from January 1, 1993 through December 31, 1995. The following results were obtained by retrospective analysis of the 173 cases of branchial anomalies. The presenting symptoms were cervical mass in 101 cases, pit with or without discharge in 71, cervical abscess in 47 and respiratory difficulty in 3. The average age of the patients with cervical abscess was 52 months. Seventy(79%) of 89 patients with branchial anomalies and a cystic mass had their first clinical manifestations by 1 year of age, while 40(51%) of 78 patients with only a branchial cyst had their first clinical manifestation in first year of life. Radiologic studies were carried out in 77 patients (43%). The preferred diagnostic modalities were ultrasonography(47 patients), simple neck radiogram(19) and CT scan(17). Preoperative diagnosis was correctly made in 156(91%) of 173 patients. Seventeen patients were incorrectly diagnosed as thyroglossal duct cyst in 5 patients, cystic hygroma in 4, dermoid cyst in 3, and lymphadenopathy in 3. There were no remarkable difference in sex and laterality of presentation but bilateral lesions were found in 9(5%) patients and unusual locations of the anomalies were the manubrium, left subclavicular area, median cervial area, preauricular and parotid area. There were 78(45%) patients with cyst, 52(30%) patients with sinus, 35(20%) patients with fistula and 8(5%) patient with skin tag. Embryological classification was possible in only 64(37%) patients. The 2nd branchial anomaly was present in 50(78%), the 1st branchial anomaly in 10(18%), and the 3rd or 4th branchial anomaly in 4(6%). Histopathological study of the lining epithelium(N=134) is recorded that 45% were lined with squamous epithelium, 17% with respiratory epithelium, 6% with. squamous and respiratory epithelium, 14% with inflammatory change. Lymphoid tissue was common(62%) in the wall of the lesions. Twelve(7%) of 158 patients had postoperative complications including wound complication, recurrence and facial nerve palsy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.122-127
• /
• 1994

One hundred fifty four cases of branchial anomaly treated from January 1987 to July 1993 were analysed to determine clinical features, embryologic and anatomic types of the branchial cleft anomaly, to investigate the differences between adults and pediatrics, and to establish the appropriate treatment plan. The male to female ratio was not signifiacntly different in pediatric and adult patients. The mean symptom duration was 0.5 years(range 0.08-14 years) in pediatric patients and 1.67 years (0.7-7 years) in adult patients. The clinical presentations of these anomalies were lateral neck mass in 112(72.7%), infected discharge in 22(14.3%), non-infected discharge in 6(3.9%), and abscess in 14 cases(9.l%). Sites of the lesions were upper third of the neck in 93(60.3%), infraauricular in 35(22.7%), middle third of the neck in 17(11.0%) and inferior third of the neck in 9 cases(5.8%). The anatomic types were cystic form in 117(75.9%), sinus in 24(15.5%), and fistula in 13 cases(8.4%). Embryologic classification were 124 second branchial cleft anomalies(80.5%), 29 first branchial cleft anomalies(18.8%), and 1 third branchial cleft anomaly(0.6%). Immediate surgery under the uncontrolled infection in 17 cases result in 82.4% recurrent rate(14 cases), and 17.6% cure rate(3 cases). Delayed surgery under the controlled infection in 8 cases recurrent rate(1 case), and 87.5% cure rate(7 cases). In summary, the most common branchial cleft anomaly is second type cyst both in pediatric and adult group, delayed surgical exterpation after infection control with I & D or antibiotics may give a good chance for care and may reduce the recurrence.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.31-34
• /
• 2017

First branchial cleft anomaly is a very rare disease and exhibits various clinical presentations. Therefore, the diagnosis of first branchial cleft anomaly may be difficult; the condition is often misdiagnosed and mismanaged. Accurate diagnosis is very important, because if not diagnosed correctly, patients with first branchial cleft anomaly would be treated with local incision and drainage repeatedly. We report two cases of first branchial cleft anomaly. The first patient visited for recurrent swell and discharge in the infra-auricular area with a history of previous incision and drainage. The other patient showed a cystic mass in the infra-auricular area and all of them were misdiagnosed initially by their treating specialists elsewhere. The objective of this study is to share our experiences of first branchial cleft anomaly, and emphasize its various clinical patterns and the significance of accurate diagnosis.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.96-101
• /
• 2000

It is commonly believed that the branchial anomalies are remnants of the branchial apparatus. Third and fourth branchial pouch anomaly is an extremely rare disease involving the branchial apparatus. Virtually mostly reported cases have been on the left side and has been identified in recurrent suppurative thyroiditis, retropharyngeal abscess and repeated episodes of cellulitis, neck swelling, lateral neck fistula. Recently the authors have experienced a case of left piriform sinus fistula accompanied with left suppurative thyroiditis, presumably of fourth branchial origin in a 50-years old male patients, which was successfully treated with coagulation, and so report this case with summary of branchial anomaly by the some review of the literatures.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.56-59
• /
• 2003

Branchial cleft fistula is one of the most common congenital neck masses. Most of the branchial cleft fistula patients complain of reucrrent neck infection or abscesses even with appropriate previous treatment. The traditional treatment of these patients was agreed to be a complete surgical removal of whole fistula tract with infection control. However this surgical treatment has risks of injuring important major vessels o. nerves adjacent to the track and difficulties in dealing with previous recurrent infections and scars of previous procedures such as drainage or incomplete surgical excision. Today, obliteration of internal opening with chemical or electrical cauterization has been introduced as a new way of treating branchial anomaly with a less invasive procedure. In this article, we reports 5 cases of branchial anomalies treated with TCA(trichloroacetic acid) chemical cauterization.