A Rare Presentation of Second Branchial Cleft Cysts in Adult Patient: Case Report with Literature Review

Abstract

Second branchial cleft cysts are the most common type of branchial cleft cysts as they make up approximately 95% of all cases. These are congenital conditions that occur in the upper lateral neck just anterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle and caused by fluids filling spaces during early embryonic development. We present a case of atypical presentation of second branchial cleft cysts in 40 year’s patient, A surgical intervention was performed with complete excision of the cysts.

Many of branchial cleft cysts would go unnoticed. However, upper respiratory tract infection can cause a sudden and significant increase in the size of the cyst because of the lymphoid tissue beneath the epithelium, The Differential diagnosis would include lymphadenopathy, lipoma, nerve sheath tumor, inflammatory lesions, carotid body tumor, external laryngocele, cystic hygroma, metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, tuberculosis-related, HIV-related lymphadenopathy, sarcoidosis, cat-scratch disease, lymphoma, and papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis.

Surgical excision is the only known treatment for second branchial cleft cysts; moreover, a complete removal of second bronchial cyst cleft is of paramount importance since it is key to preventing any recurrence of the disease.