First branchial cleft fistula (Work Type 2) with an internal opening to the Eustachian tube: Case report and review of literature

Omar Faruque; Jeffrey D Wischhusen; Lauren K Reckley; Veronica J Rooks; Bryan J Liming

doi:10.1016/j.radcr.2019.03.036

First branchial cleft fistula (Work Type 2) with an internal opening to the Eustachian tube: Case report and review of literature

Radiol Case Rep. 2019 Apr 24;14(7):819-824. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2019.03.036. eCollection 2019 Jul.

Authors

Omar Faruque¹, Jeffrey D Wischhusen², Lauren K Reckley³, Veronica J Rooks¹, Bryan J Liming³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Tripler Army Medical Center, Aiea, HI 96859, USA.
² Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
³ Department of Otolaryngology, Tripler Army Medical Center, Aiea, HI 96859, USA.

Abstract

First branchial cleft anomalies are rare congenital defects of the head and neck. This case report presents a 12-year-old patient with a draining cutaneous pit approximately 1-cm anterior and 5-mm inferior to the right angle of the mandible. Imaging revealed a fistula between the cutaneous pit and Eustachian tube. Further characterization with methylene blue injection into the cutaneous pit resulted in spillage through the right Eustachian tube. Surgical excision of the fistula revealed a cylindrical structure comprised of ectodermal and mesodermal features that most likely represented a Work Type 2 first branchial cleft fistula.

Keywords: Branchial cleft; Branchial cleft fistula; Eustachian tube; First branchial cleft; Work Type 2.

Publication types

Case Reports