1991 Volume 1991 Issue Supplement42 Pages 154-159
A 6-year-old boy, who had a lateral cervical fistula combined with congenital microtia and aural fistula is reported. The origin of the cervical fistula was the second branchial cleft. His mother also had congenital aural fistula and hearing impairment was noted in both his mother and his grandfather. The cervical fistula was totaliy removed by surgery under general anesthesia, histopathological study of the specimen revealed cutaneous appendages and lymphollicles.
One hundred and seventeen cases of lateral cervical fistula have been reported in Japan.
Malformation in the ear frequently occur from diturbance in embryonic development of the second branchial cleft. This is why the lateral cervical fistula originating from the second branchial cleft is combined with malformation in the ear. The pavement epithelium and cutaneous appendages originated from the embryonic ectoderm and lymphocytes from the endoderm.
