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Second branchial cleft anomalies in children: a literature review

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Abstract

Branchial cleft anomalies are the second most common head and neck congenital lesions in children. It may sometimes be a part of branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome, so in patients with branchial cleft anomalies associated with a complaint of auricular deformity or a similar history and findings in other family members, we should take an additional examination to find the possibility of BOR syndrome. Complete excision is essential for good prognosis. For the management of branchial cleft anomalies, various methods have been reported. Endoscopically assisted dissection technique and transoral robot-assisted surgery were used in the management of fistula and allowed excellent visualization of the pharyngeal component of the lesion and a minimally invasive approach. It is essential for the surgeon to fully comprehend the congenital lesions to attain the correct preoperative diagnosis and plan for an appropriate surgical approach to prevent the most common complication and recurrence in these lesions. The following sections discuss the anatomy, common presentation, auxiliary examination, differential diagnosis, the current principles of surgical treatment and prognosis for second branchial cleft anomalies in children, and discussed the branchio-oto-renal syndrome.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the assistance of all those who participated in this project.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 81172562 and 81372903).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China

    Li-Fang Shen, Shui-Hong Zhou, Qiong-qiong Chen & Qi Yu

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  1. Li-Fang Shen
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  2. Shui-Hong Zhou
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  3. Qiong-qiong Chen
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  4. Qi Yu
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Correspondence to Li-Fang Shen or Shui-Hong Zhou.

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Shen, LF., Zhou, SH., Chen, Qq. et al. Second branchial cleft anomalies in children: a literature review. Pediatr Surg Int 34, 1251–1256 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-018-4348-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-018-4348-8

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