A CASE OF LATERAL CERVICAL CYST

Abstract

In a 23-year-old man, a sharply demarcated tumor with the size of an egg was palpated at the anterior margin of right sternocleidomastoid muscle. Cervical CT revealed a low density tumor with a relatively uniform internal structure. Extirpated specimen showed a smooth surface tumor with the size of 6×4×4cm filled with other pate-like content. Histopathologically the wall of the cyst was covered with stratified squamous epithelium and beneath the epithelium lymphatic tissues associated with embryonic center developed. This disease is diagnostically characterized by having a tumor located at the anterior cervical triangle particularly at the anterior margin of sternocleidomastoid muscle; having a dense mucus or pate-like content; and the existence of cholesterol crystal and lymphatic tissues in the cyst wall histopathologically. In this case cholesterol crystal was not tested, however, the other findings indicated a lateral cervical cyst. It is important for operation to confirm whether a patient has a fistula and/or fistulation.