title: Rapidly enlarging neck mass in a neonate causing airway compromise.
abstract: Up to 20% of all congenital pediatric head and neck masses are branchial cleft cysts. Second branchial cleft cysts account for 95% of branchial anomalies, and fourth branchial cleft cysts are the rarest type. Their typical presentations include non-life-threatening symptoms, such as drainage, skin irritations, minor swelling, and tenderness. We describe a 5-week-old neonate with increasing stridor secondary to a rapidly growing neck mass. Imaging and surgical excision confirmed the mass to be an infected fourth branchial cleft cyst.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Schmidt); and the Departments of Surgery (Leal, McGill) and Radiology (Jacob), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas.
authors.forename: Kyra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Schmidt); and the Departments of Surgery (Leal, McGill) and Radiology (Jacob), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Schmidt); and the Departments of Surgery (Leal, McGill) and Radiology (Jacob), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McGill
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine (Schmidt); and the Departments of Surgery (Leal, McGill) and Radiology (Jacob), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacob