Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast. My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about

brankeal cysts. And you can find written notes on this topic at zero definals.com slash brankeal cyst

or in the E&T section of the Zero to Finals Pediatrics book. So let's get straight into it.

A branquial cyst is a congenital abnormality that arises when the second

brankeal cleft fails to properly form during fetal development.

This leaves a space surrounded by epithelial tissue in the lateral aspect of the neck.

This space can fill with fluid.

This fluid-filled lump is called a brankeal cyst.

Brancel cysts arising from the first, third, and fourth, brankele clefts are also possible,

although they're much more rare.

And most brankial cysts arise from the second

brankeal cleft. Brankyel cysts present with a round, soft, cystic swelling beneath the angle of

the jaw and the sternocloidumastoid muscle in the anterior triangle of the neck. This swelling will transilluminate with light,

as there's fluid filling the cyst that transmits light throughout the cyst.

To transilluminate the cyst, hold a pen torch flat against the skin

and watches the whole thing lights up.

Frankeal cysts tend to present after the age of 10 years, most commonly in young adult when the cyst becomes noticeable or infected.

A quick tom tip for you.

Branky or cysts may appear in exams as a differential diagnosis of neck lumps in teenagers, or as part of a neck examination in an oski. Remembering the key features will help

you distinguish it from other causes of necklumps in your exams. It is situated just anterior

to the sternocloidumastoid muscle and it's round and soft and will transilluminate with light.

Let's talk in more detail about sinuses and fistula's. A sinus is a blind-ended pouch.

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