Congenital midline cervical cleft: a 7 year prospective study.
Vedula Padmini Saha1, Sudipta Pal2, Somnath Saha3
1Department of Plastic Surgery, R. G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata, India.
Summary
This study reports on congenital cervical midline cleft (CCMC), a rare head and neck condition, identifying five Indian cases. It highlights the condition
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Plastic Surgery
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Congenital cervical midline cleft (CCMC) is a rare congenital anomaly affecting the head and neck region.
- Existing literature predominantly describes CCMC in Caucasian populations, with limited data from other ethnicities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the occurrence and clinical presentation of CCMC in the Indian population.
- To describe the management of identified CCMC cases.
Main Methods:
- Screening of patients attending ENT and Plastic Surgery Outpatient Departments at a tertiary referral hospital in Eastern India.
- Inclusion of all identified cases of CCMC for study and treatment.
- Surgical excision and primary repair for all patients except the neonate.
Main Results:
- Five cases of CCMC were identified over a 7-year period.
- The patient cohort included three females and two males, with ages ranging from 2 days to 25 years.
- Surgical intervention was performed on four patients.
Conclusions:
- This case series represents the first documentation of CCMC in the Indian subcontinent.
- The findings expand the known demographic distribution of CCMC, indicating its presence beyond Caucasian populations.
- CCMC management involves surgical correction, with successful outcomes in the presented cases.
