AN UNUSUAL LATERAL NECK CYST WITH THE COMBINED FEATURES OF A BRONCHOGENIC, THYROGLOSSAL, AND BRANCHIAL CLEFT ORIGIN

Soft tissue cystic masses arising in the neck in children are commonly of embryologic origin and often surgically excised. Depending on loca tion and histology, they can be classified as thyroglossal duct, branc hial cleft, or rarely bronchogenic in origin. We present an unusual ca se of an infant with a lateral neck mass that communicates with the mi dtrachea. The histologic appearance is that of a combination of the fe atures seen in cysts of branchial cleft and thyroglossal duct origin. The possible embryologic development of such a lesion is discussed.