1996 Volume 89 Issue 4 Pages 505-509
A case of cervical thymic cyst is presented, and the literature is reviewed. A 25-year-old-female was found to have a frontal neck mass. At surgery, the thyroid gland was found to be normal, but displaced by a cystic mass. The cyst was lobulated and contain clear fluid. It was removed from the carotid laterally and from the trachea medially.
Thymic cysts are unusual neck masses that may occur along the embryologic pathway of migration of the thymus. The mass produces few symptoms, but can sometimes cause air way obstruction. Treatment consists of excision of the cyst and prognosis is usually good. This entity should be included in the differential diagnosis of neck masses.
