Quistes de la segunda hendidura branquial: revisión de 32 casos operados / Second branchial cleft cysts: review of 32 operated cases

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work was to analize retrospectively the clinical features of 32 patients aged 23.9 years (21 female) with histological diagnosis of second branchial cleft cyst. In 28 patients, the cyst was localized below the mandibular angle. The presenting symptom was a cervical tumor in 30 patients and pain in eight. Fourteen aspiration punctures was performed obtaining 8 purulent and 6 straw colored aspirates. The preoperative diagnosis was correctly made in only 19 patients; the principal confounding diagnosis was tuberculous adenitis. All patients were operated performing a complete cystectomy in 30 and partial cystectomy in 2. Three patients had a surgical wound infection and the cyst recurred 5 months and 4 years after operation in the 2 patients subjected to partial cystectomy. The histological study revealed squamous epithelial with underlying lymphoid tissue. It is concluded that aspiration puncture is useful for the correct diagnosis and that the cyst must be completely erradicated to avoid recurrences