BRANCHIAL ANOMALIES

Branchial anomalies are masses located in children’ neck. They are composed of an heterogeneous group of congenital malformations mainly fistulae, cysts, sinus tracts and cartilaginous remnants. Females and males are affected equally and many lesions are diagnosed before child reaches adulthood. Aim of this retrospective study is to asses the clinical outcome in a series of patients affected by branchial anomalies and discuss the pertinent literature. In the period between January 2001 and December 2010, 31 patients underwent to surgical correction of branchial anomalies at the Pediatric Surgery Unit, S Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy. Patients included 15 (48.4%) females and 16 (51.6%) males. Age ranged from 5 months to 15.6 years with a mean value of 5.1 years at the time of admission. There were 16 fistulae 5 cysts and 10 branchial remnants All cases were surgically corrected under general anesthesia. Cervical cysts occur in children and adolescents as a mass situated anterior to the sterno-cleid muscle and near the angle of the mandible. Cervical symptoms may consist of drainage from a pit –like depression at the angle of mandible. The definitive treatment of all branchial anomalies is the surgical for a complete excision. Complete surgical resection through a wide transverse cervicotomy results in good prognosis. Identification during operation, of the internal and external carotid arteries and of the vagus, hypoglossal, glossopharingeal and superior laryngeal nerves will avoid injury of these structures.