Cervical bronchogenic cysts: usual and unusual clinical presentations

To discuss the clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic characteristics of cervical bronchogenic cysts.

Retrospective case study using a pathologic database at our institution.

Pediatric hospital.

Eight patients with cervical bronchogenic cysts were identified in the past 13 years (January 1994 to December 2007).

The patients' clinical presentations and surgical procedures are described.

Two cervical bronchogenic cysts were located on the cervical anterior midline, 5 were anterolateral suprasternal, and the other was paraspinal. One corresponded to an intralaryngeal and extralaryngeal cyst. One was associated with an ectopic thymus. No patient had been diagnosed as having a bronchogenic cyst before surgery. No major surgical complications were noted. There was no relapse after surgery.

Although rare, cervical bronchogenic cysts are difficult to differentiate clinically from other cystic cervical masses because their location, radiologic characteristics, and evolution can mimic those of any other cervical mass. Cervical cysts are usually a pathologic finding, showing respiratory-type epithelium, cartilage, mucinous glands, and smooth muscle fibers. They result from abnormal development of the tracheobronchial tree. Some atypical locations or associations may be explained by embryologic origin. The curative treatment consists of complete surgical resection. To our knowledge, this study represents the largest pediatric series published about cervical bronchogenic cysts.