Subcutaneous Bronchogenic Cyst in the Neck: A Case Report

Abstract

 Bronchogenic cysts are congenital anomalies that usually arise in the mediastinum or lung, caused by abnormal budding or branching of tracheobronchial trees from the ventral foregut. Subcutaneous lesions of bronchogenic cysts (rare and commonly described as peristernal nodular masses) are hypothesized to represent misdirected respiratory mesenchyme. A midline cleft is a rare neck malformation characterized by a fusiform longitudinal tag, a nipple-like structure, and a blind orifice. We present a case of a 4-year-old boy with the chief complaint of a scar lesion in the anterior neck. His clinical manifestations resembled those of midline cleft. The scar lesion was surgically resected together with its subcutaneous cord. Pathological examination identified pseudostratified ciliated epithelia and bronchial glands in the lesion, leading to the diagnosis of subcutaneous bronchogenic cyst in the neck. This case suggests a relationship between midline clefts and subcutaneous bronchogenic cysts.