Coexistent neck enteric cyst and intraspinal neurenteric cyst: Embryopathogenetic implications

Enteric cysts are very rare conditions, occurring mainly in the posterior mediastinum and posterior neck. Their pathomorphology corresponds with that of intraspinal neurenteric cysts. Both formations are derivatives of the posterior foregut. However, their embryopathogenesis has not been elucidated satisfactorily as yet. For those associated with vertebral anomalies, the split notochord theory has been widely accepted. However, this is be hardly conceivable for cases free of these anomalies.

Here, a patient with concurrent separated enteric and neurenteric cysts and cervical spine dysmorphism is presented.

The review of the relevant literature revealed sporadic analogical cases in which a transvertebral communication between the two cysts was present or absent. The latter was associated with a minimal abnormality of the vertebral body.

The authors suggest that normal vertebrae may be formed in patients with enteric cysts, which would make the notochord-split theory plausible also for those free of spinal malformations.