Third branchial cleft cyst as a cause of hoarseness: a case report

Abstract

Third branchial cleft cyst is a rare congenital disease of the neck. It presents as a painless mass that develops rapidly in the neck following an infection. This is the first case report of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy caused by a third branchial cleft cyst. A 30-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of hoarseness as her only symptom; she had no pain, fever, dysphagia, dyspnoea, or palpable neck mass. Laryngoscopy revealed that her right vocal cord was paralyzed. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cystic mass in the right tracheoesophageal groove that was closely associated with the trachea. Intraoperatively, the cyst was found not to originate from the thyroid or trachea, but it was compressing the right recurrent laryngeal nerve. The hoarseness resolved the day after the cyst was removed.

Prenatal tomography ultrasound imaging diagnosis of fetal pyriform sinus cysts (third or fourth branchial cleft cyst): A case report

“…The pyriform sinus is a crucial anatomical structure of the pharynx and larynx, which comprises symmetrical aryepiglottic folds and lateral pharyngeal walls on both sides. PSCs are rare branchial anomalies that occur in the pyriform sinus, and are also known as third or fourth branchial cleft cysts 1–3 . Histologically, distinguishing between the origin of the third or fourth branchial arch relies mainly on its relationship with the recurrent laryngeal nerve; however, this distinction cannot be made through imaging techniques, 4 leading to their collective reference as PSCs.…”

“…PSCs are rare branchial anomalies that occur in the pyriform sinus, and are also known as third or fourth branchial cleft cysts. [1][2][3] Histologically, distinguishing between the origin of the third or fourth branchial arch relies mainly on its relationship with the recurrent laryngeal nerve; however, this distinction cannot be made through imaging techniques, 4 The cyst cavities associated with third and fourth branchial cleft anomalies are located within the piriform sinus and are hence called piriform sinus cysts. [5][6][7] This disease usually occurs in infants and children, but it is very rare for it to occur during the fetal period.…”