Midline anterior neck inclusion cyst: A novel superficial congenital developmental anomaly of the neck.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A variety of congenital developmental anomalies arise on the neck because of the many fusion planes and complex embryologic structures in this region. We describe a series of seven patients with a novel type of superficial midline congenital anomaly. METHODS: Retrospective case series. Clinical and histopathologic features were compared and used to describe this entity. RESULTS: Seven patients with nearly identical clinical findings were identified. In all cases, a small superficial cyst resembling a giant milium was observed at birth. There were no significant changes during infancy and no evidence of underlying abnormalities. The histopathologic findings were identical to those of an infundibular follicular cyst. CONCLUSION: We have termed this entity midline anterior neck inclusion cyst. We believe it is a superficial developmental anomaly, probably a forme fruste of a midline fusion developmental defect, which has not to our knowledge, previously been described.