2021 Volume 57 Issue 6 Pages 1008-1011
Congenital dermoid fistula (CDF) of the anterior chest region is a fistula composed of the squamous epithelium and cutaneous appendages, and it frequently occurs at the left sternoclavicular joint. CDF has not been well-known. A 10-month-old boy and a one-year-old girl had congenital fistula in the left sternoclavicular joint and were brought to our hospital owing to inflammation of the fistula. Ultrasonography revealed a cystic region under the fistula. The fistula was removed as guided by a pigment injected into it. The fistula ended in a cyst located 1 cm deep in the subcutaneous tissue. Histopathological analysis revealed that the tract was composed of the squamous epithelium, hair follicles, sebaceous glands and eccrine glands. A review of 52 reported cases including our two cases revealed that 69% of cases were due to infections, infections easily recurred, and a fistula can recur after operation. A complete excision of the fistula and cutaneous appendages is necessary to prevent recurrence with a caution that CDF forms a cyst or a nodule deep in the subcutaneous tissue. In our cases, the injection of a pigment was useful.
