title: Branchial-cleft sinus presenting with a retropharyngeal abscess for a newborn: a case report.
abstract: A retropharyngeal abscess rarely occurs in the neonate. We report a neonate without apparent trauma who presented with a left neck mass and respiratory distress at the fourth day of age. A lateral neck X-ray revealed a widened retropharyngeal space. A neck computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a space-occupying lesion with air content in the left retropharyngeal area, although direct laryngoscopy, endoscopy, and a pharyngoesophagogram did not demonstrate the presence of any fistula tract. Due to the high index of suspicion for an aero-digestive tract fistula, diluted contrast medium was injected into the cyst while performing a CT-guided aspiration, and opacification was found in the oropharynx, thus a branchial-cleft sinus appeared to be most likely. The follow-up neck CT scan revealed no evidence of any recurrence. We suggest that CT-guided aspiration and cystography are useful for the diagnosis and treatment of some neonatal neck cystic lesions.
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001934:Branchial Region / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003560:Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents