[Congenital cysts of the esophageal wall with a respiratory type mucosa]

Eight patients with congenital esophageal cysts are described. They presented with respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms or an abnormal mediastinal profile on a standard chest film. All cysts were contained in the middle or inferior portions of the thoracic esophagus. They were excised in a submucosal plane. Their coat was composed of a ciliated, respiratory type epithelium. In the embryo and after separation of the tracheal diverticulum, the esophagus is lined with ciliated cells which are able cover a "cystic duplication", which is surrounded by an esophageal muscular coat or can be "included" in a common mesenchyma, which explains the possible presence of bronchial elements in the wall of an esophageal cyst. In this eventuality the cyst may be defined as being "bronchogenic".