口腔疾病防治 (Jul 2024)
Bilateral fourth branchial fissure: a case report and literature review
Abstract
Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment of fourth branchial cleft deformity. Methods The clinical data of a patient with bilateral fourth branchial cleft deformity in the neck were summarized, and the literature was reviewed. Results The patient was a 17-year-old male who had a painless lump in his neck for 10 years. During specialized examination, a lump approximately 4.0 cm × 3.0 cm in size could be palpated subcutaneously on the right side of the neck, with clear boundaries, a regular shape, a soft texture, and a wave-like sensation without obvious tenderness. A fistula with a size of approximately 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm could be observed on the left side of the neck, and yellow clear liquid could be seen flowing out of the fistula. The surrounding skin was locally red and swollen, and the surface temperature of the skin was elevated. Computed tomography examination demonstrated a circular cystic low-density shadow approximately 4.4 cm × 3.4 cm in size in the right supraclavicular and anterior cervical regions. A flocculent isodense image could be observed in the middle; moreover, nodular calcification could be observed at the edge, and the surrounding fat spaces were blurred. The enhanced scan showed mild enhancement of the cyst wall but no obvious enhancement of the contents. On the left side, a circular nodular shadow with a diameter of approximately 1.4 cm could be seen, with enhanced scanning and circular enhancement. The surrounding skin was thickened, and the subcutaneous fat gap was blurred. Multiple small lymph nodes could be observed on both sides of the neck, with the larger nodes having a short diameter of approximately 0.8 cm. The size and morphology of the thyroid gland were not significantly abnormal, and there was no obvious abnormal density shadow inside of the gland. Upon admission, the diagnosis was a fourth gill fissure cyst in the right neck and a fourth gill fissure fistula in the left neck. Under general anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia, right branchial cleft cyst resection and left branchial cleft fistula resection were performed. Postoperative pathological examination demonstrated a left branchial cleft fistula and a right branchial cleft cyst. The wound healed by first intention, and there was no recurrence after 6 months of follow-up. According to the literature, fourth branchial cleft deformity is a congenital developmental abnormality of the branchial apparatus, the incidence of which accounts for only 1% of all branchial cleft deformities; moreover, it often occurs on the left side. The anatomical position is often located in the cervical root and supraclavicular region, thus demonstrating cysts or sinuses adjacent to the thyroid gland. The diagnosis should be confirmed by anatomical location, imaging examination or laryngoscopy combined with postoperative pathological results and should be differentiated from cervical masses such as thyroglossal duct cysts and lymph node metastasis. The main treatment methods include surgical procedures and endoscopic cauterization of the internal fistula. The prognosis is generally good, and there is a risk of recurrence; however, cancer rarely occurs. Conclusion Deformity of the fourth branchial fissure is very rare; thus, it should be identified early to avoid excessive and ineffective surgical drainage, reduce potential complications during resection and completely remove the lesion to prevent recurrence.
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