Branchial Cleft Cyst

Question: Anyone ever had a Branchial Cleft Cyst? What was your choice of treatment? I have a small lump in/on my throat and my doctor says it's a Branchial Cleft Cyst. Anyone ever had this...what treatment is out there? I know he told me surgery to remove it...Anyone had surgery like this? How big is the incision? What does the scar look like?

Answer: A family member just had it done. If your surgeon is good, they will make the incision on a neck crease so no scar can be seen. The incision size will be determined by the cyst size.

Question: My 6 year old son is having surgery to remove a branchial cleft cyst. Anyone have a child that went thru this I am so nervous about this surgery. They are going to use general anesthesia and I just worry about something going wrong. The last time I put a child through surgery, it was my 11 month old son and he did not survive, although it was open heart surgery, but I'm still so scared even though this surgery is much less serious. I just keep having visions of what I went through before, you know? I just want some reassurance that this surgery is not life-threatening and that he should be fine.

Answer: Well, I am a doctor, GP + anaesthetist and I have anesthetized many hundreds 6 year olds. Also many of them had branchial cysts. Though it is not very common, but there is nothing serious about it. Your son will be fine, don't worry. Good luck!

Question: help...ratio or percentage of people with branchial cleft cyst? does anyone knows the statistics of people having a branchial cleft cyst?

Answer: Much less than 1%, and some are never diagnosed because they're not symptomatic or clinically obvious.

Question: branchial cleft cyst neck? I am a 46 year old female who has been diagnosed with a branchial cleft cyst. I was diagnosed 2 years ago when it was very small. Now it has grown to a size of a walnut. I go and get it drained every few months and it seems to go down the swelling that is,until this last time where it didn't go down. My question is has anyone had surgery to remove it and how was the surgery and results. I am scared to get the surgery and wanted to know if anyone else out there has one and hasn't had it removed yet? I am very worried. Thanks Debbie

Answer: I am 24 years old and have just had mine removed two days ago. They found it last year, but could not remove it because I was pregnant. After I had my baby, it became infected and grew over my jaw. It hurt so bad. They kept treating it with antibotics. The infection went away, but the size didn't.(Even with draining) The doctor had to make a big incision because the cyst was the size of an egg. He said it was the largest he has removed. I suggest getting it out before it gets to a point that nothing helps. The only things that hurts is the muscles in my neck and my throat from the trechea tube they had to put in. The stiches/cut does not hurt at all. I was very worried, but it went soooo well. Best of luck to you.

Question: branchial cleft cyst? I am a middle aged women and have been diagnosed with a Branchial Cleft Cyst. It's now the size of a small lime and is infected. Taking Clindamycin and has not helded to soreness. Having it removed in 31/2 weeks...not soon enough. Anyone out there that's had this removed and what was the out come. Very afraid about the surgery.

Answer: depending where it is at, the surgery is very easy. You've had this cyst left over from early embryonic development. Overall very easy.

Question: Hello my 10 month old daughter has branchial cleft cyst very small is not bothering her should it be taken out?

Answer: I would wait until she is about 2 or older, unless Her Doctor insists that she have it removed.

Question: My 2 month grandson has been diagnosed with a branchial cleft cyst. He has a very tiny indention on his neck. The doctor has scheduled out patient surgery for him. He said if it not taken care of, he would develop problems later on. Is anyone out there familiar with this?

Answer: My son who is now 5 had the same diagnosis when he was only 2. We were referred to Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock, they performed a minor out-patient surgery on him, and all is fine. The most traumatic part for him was when he woke up and discovered an I.V. in his leg, and wanted to tear it right out! Any sort of surgery on a child that young is frightening, but hopefully everything will turn out fine for you, too.

Question: What is a brachial (or branchial) (not bronchial) cleft cyst? One of my friends has one and is very worried.? I read that it is a birth defect. What is a sixty year old man doing getting a birth defect? Is it life threatening? Is it a cancer? Is the surgery dangerous?

Answer: Branchial cleft cysts are birth defects, but they are part of normal development in the fetus. When they fail to close properly in utero, they become cysts. Generally they can become infected, or they can swell, which is usually what brings them to medical attention. The surgery is simple and curative. Branchial cleft cysts are usually not life threatening.

Question: Anyone here had an infecected brancial cleft cyst? I had a lump appear very suddenly in my neck a while ago, which was very painful, & after lots of doctors doing tests the head ent doc at royal adelaide finally told me i have a branchial cleft (a feotal abnormality that took 30 years to appear!!) cyct thats become infected. Pain is now gone but lump is still there & doc rekons there gonna cut it out. Just wondering if anyone has had this and how did it go. Have had all the biopsies done & its not cancerous at all (phew!)

Answer: Yes the cyst needs to be excised and the sinus tract needs to be dissected out to its origin. Otherwise, it can recur. Any good ENT knows this. Even here in the midwestern USA, docs have heard of the fine reputation of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Sounds like you're in good hands.

Question: infecected brancial cleft cyst? Anyone here had an infecected brancial cleft cyst? I had a lump appear very suddenly in my neck a while ago, which was very painful, & after lots of doctors doing tests the head ent doc at royal adelaide finally told me i have a branchial cleft (a feotal abnormality that took 30 years to appear!!) cyct thats become infected. Pain is now gone but lump is still there & doc rekons there gonna cut it out. Just wondering if anyone has had this and how did it go. Have had all the biopsies done & its not cancerous at all (phew!)

Answer: Infected Branchial Cleft Cyst, you almost got it best site http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic61.ht…