title: [The first branchial fistula: an analysis of 16 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss how to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment about the first branchial fistula.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 cases with the first branchial fistula were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all the patients underwent surgery, 14 cases were free from disease postoperatively within 0.5 years follow-up, 2 patients underwent re-operation because of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowing about the disease fully, selecting proper surgical incision and possessing skilled surgical technique is important to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment about the first branchial fistula.
authors.affiliation: Departmant of Otolaryngology, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan Medical University, Zhengzhou 450052.
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001934:Branchial Region / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000151:congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies