Bilateral cervical chondrocutaneous remnants: a familial observation

Cervical chondrocutaneous remnants are extremely rare, and fewer than 40 unilateral, and only 11 bilateral, forms have been reported. The clinical and ultrasonographic criteria have been well characterised. Several associated anomalies may accompany the remnants and patients should therefore be investigated further. The treatment of choice is complete excision to confirm the diagnosis. Histological investigations define this lesion as heterotopic, composed of normal skin and fat with a strip of cartilage running through the middle. The embryological origin is not clear. We report what is to our knowledge the first familial form in 6 members of a Libyan family all of whom had unilateral or bilateral forms. We focus specifically on a 10-year-old girl with bilateral chondrocutaneous remnants who was admitted to our department.