BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuBranchial cleft cyst Cleft sinusA branchial cleft cyst is a birth defect. It is caused when fluid fills a space, or sinus, left in the neck when a baby develops in the womb. After the baby is born, it appears as a lump in the neck or just below the jawbone. Causes Branchial cleft cysts form during development of the embryo. They occur when tissues in the neck area (branchial cleft) fail to develop normally.EmbryoLearn how your baby is conceived and how your baby develops inside the mother's womb.Read Article Now Book Mark Article The birth defect may appear as open spaces called cleft sinuses, which may develop on one or both sides of the neck. A branchial cleft cyst may form due to fluid in a sinus. The cyst or sinus can become infected. Symptoms The cysts are most often seen in children. In some cases, they are not seen until adulthood.Symptoms may include any of the following:Small pits, lumps, or skin tags at either side of the neck or just below the jawbone Fluid drainage from a pit on the neck Noisy breathing (if the cyst is large enough to block part of the airway) Exams and Tests The health care provider may be able to diagnose this condition during a physical examination. The following tests may be done: CT scan CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MRI scan MRI scanA magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the body. It does not us...Read Article Now Book Mark Article UltrasoundUltrasoundUltrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of organs and structures inside the body.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Antibiotics will be given if the cyst or sinuses are infected.Surgery is generally needed to remove a branchial cleft cyst in order to prevent complications such as infections. If there is an infection when the cyst is found, surgery will likely be done after the infection has been treated with antibiotics. If there have been several infections before the cyst is found, it may be harder to remove. Outlook (Prognosis) Surgery is usually successful, with good results. Possible Complications The cyst or sinuses may become infected if not removed. Repeated infections may make surgical removal more difficult. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider for an appointment if you notice a small pit, cleft, or lump in your child's neck or upper shoulder, especially if fluid drains from this area.Open ReferencesReferencesAltay MA, Baur DA. Management of branchial cleft cysts, sinuses, and fistulae. In: Tiwana PS, Kademani D, eds. Atlas of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 105.Thatcher AL. Congenital and inflammatory neck masses in children. In: Lesperance MM, ed. Cummings Pediatric Otolaryngology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 23.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Fetal development(Special Topic)Cyst(Symptoms) Review Date: 12/31/2023 Reviewed By: Mary J. Terrell, MD, IBCLC, Neonatologist, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Branchial cleft cyst Cleft sinusA branchial cleft cyst is a birth defect. It is caused when fluid fills a space, or sinus, left in the neck when a baby develops in the womb. After the baby is born, it appears as a lump in the neck or just below the jawbone. Causes Branchial cleft cysts form during development of the embryo. They occur when tissues in the neck area (branchial cleft) fail to develop normally.EmbryoLearn how your baby is conceived and how your baby develops inside the mother's womb.Read Article Now Book Mark Article The birth defect may appear as open spaces called cleft sinuses, which may develop on one or both sides of the neck. A branchial cleft cyst may form due to fluid in a sinus. The cyst or sinus can become infected. Symptoms The cysts are most often seen in children. In some cases, they are not seen until adulthood.Symptoms may include any of the following:Small pits, lumps, or skin tags at either side of the neck or just below the jawbone Fluid drainage from a pit on the neck Noisy breathing (if the cyst is large enough to block part of the airway) Exams and Tests The health care provider may be able to diagnose this condition during a physical examination. The following tests may be done: CT scan CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MRI scan MRI scanA magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the body. It does not us...Read Article Now Book Mark Article UltrasoundUltrasoundUltrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of organs and structures inside the body.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Antibiotics will be given if the cyst or sinuses are infected.Surgery is generally needed to remove a branchial cleft cyst in order to prevent complications such as infections. If there is an infection when the cyst is found, surgery will likely be done after the infection has been treated with antibiotics. If there have been several infections before the cyst is found, it may be harder to remove. Outlook (Prognosis) Surgery is usually successful, with good results. Possible Complications The cyst or sinuses may become infected if not removed. Repeated infections may make surgical removal more difficult. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider for an appointment if you notice a small pit, cleft, or lump in your child's neck or upper shoulder, especially if fluid drains from this area.Open ReferencesReferencesAltay MA, Baur DA. Management of branchial cleft cysts, sinuses, and fistulae. In: Tiwana PS, Kademani D, eds. Atlas of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 105.Thatcher AL. Congenital and inflammatory neck masses in children. In: Lesperance MM, ed. Cummings Pediatric Otolaryngology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 23.