Branchial anomalies: diagnosis and management

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Head and Neck Surgery
• Congenital Anomalies

Background:

• Branchial anomalies are congenital malformations that can present with various clinical features.
• Understanding their incidence, types, and anatomical associations is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of individual arch involvement in branchial anomalies.
• To analyze the anatomical types, demographics, clinical presentation, and treatment outcomes of these anomalies.

Main Methods:

• A 10-year retrospective study of 30 patients with 34 clinically proven branchial anomalies.
• Data collected included demographical details, clinical features, anomaly type, and management strategies.

Main Results:

• The mean age of presentation was 18.67 years, with a male preponderance.
• Second arch anomalies were most common (50%), followed by first arch. Fistulas were the most frequent pathological type (58.82%).
• All patients underwent surgical excision, with no facial nerve involvement reported for first branchial anomalies.

Conclusions:

• Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for branchial anomalies.
• Preoperative confirmation of tract extent is mandatory due to proximity to vital neck structures.
• Techniques like dye injection and microscopic removal can decrease recurrence rates.