2ND BRANCHIAL CLEFT CYSTS - REPORT OF 32 OPERATED PATIENTS

The aim of this work was to analyze retrospectively the clinical featu res of 32 patients aged 23.9 years (21 female) with the histological d iagnosis of second branchial cleft cyst. In 28 patients, the cyst was localized below the mandibular angle. The presenting symptom was a cer vical tumor in 30 patients and pain in eight. Fourteen aspiration punc tures was performed obtaining 8 purulent and 6 straw colored aspirates . The preoperative diagnosis was correctly made in only 19 patients; t he principal confounding diagnosis was tuberculous adenitis. All patie nts were operated performing a complete cystectomy in 30 and partial c ystectomy in two. Three patients had a surgical wound infection and th e cysts recurred 5 months and 4 years after operation in the two patie nts subjected to partial cystectomy. The histological study revealed s quamous epithelial with underlying lymphoid tissue. It is concluded th at aspiration puncture is useful for the correct diagnosis and that th e cyst must be completely erradicated to avoid recurrences.