[Cervical cysts of second branchial arch. Retrospective study of 14 cases]

Fourteen patients with lateral neck branchial cysts treated over an 18 year term were reviewed to analyze the authors' method of diagnosis and management. The possibility of an embryologic rest in the neck should therefore be kept in mind with all clinically evident neck masses. Histopathological examination revealed that cysts were lined with a stratified squamous epithelium. Computed tomography and fine-needle-aspiration currently are essential diagnostic methods in the study protocol of these lesions. Traditional surgical techniques for the management of branchial remnants rely on simple excision of the structures associated with the sinus tract, with dissection carried out in the plane between the branchial remnant and the normal anatomic structures of the neck. Initial surgery is crucial since the recurrence rate after incomplete surgery can be as high as 22%.