Wattle: An Unusual Congenital Anomaly

Abstract

To the Editor.— A wattle is a rare congenital anomaly occurring much less frequently than branchial cysts or sinuses. Wattles are found on satyrs and fauns of Greek and Roman mythology. Statues of these creatures are probably the earliest shown cases. The term is usually applied to the dewlap of birds such as turkeys. In mammals, a wattle is a fleshy appendage beneath the throat consisting of skin, subcutaneous fat, striated muscle, and a strip of cartilage. Report of a Case.— A 12-year-old boy was seen with a congenital tumor on the neck. On physical examination, a 15 × 6-mm soft, flesh-colored, elongated tumor hung from the patient's anterior neck (Fig 1). The lesion was completely excised, and there was no evidence of recurrence on follow-up examination. The microscopic sections exhibited a pedunculated lesion with an essentially normal epidermis, with the exception of mild hyperkeratosis. Numerous hair follicles were present