側頸嚢胞の臨床病理学的検討

A Clinicopathological Study of Lateral Cervical Cysts

　はじめに

　側頸嚢胞は，頭頸部領域に発生する比較的まれな嚢胞性疾患で，病理組織学的に上皮と上皮下リンパ組織によって特徴づけられ，一般的には胎生期の鰓性組織の残存上皮から発生すると考えられているが，いまだ不明な点も多い。1978年4月より1993年12月までに，当科および関連病院において，第4鰓裂より発生したと思われる1例を含む側頸嚢胞の7例を経験したので，臨床病理学的検討を加えて報告する。

Seven cases of lateral cervical cyst operated on were studied. There were 3 males and 4 females, aged 11 to 55 years, with an average of 31.1 years. Six patients had a cyst arising probably in the sec-ond branchial groove, and one in the fourth bran-chial groove. According to Bailey's classification,there were one patient of type I and 6 of type II. The epithelial lining was stratified squamous cell in 5 cases, cuboidal or columnar cell in one, and un-determined in the remaining one. A remarkable growth of lymphoid tissue beneath the epithelium was found in all cases.

Lateral cervical cyst is characteristically diagnosed by having a well defined lesion located in front of the sternomastoid muscle with mucous or muddy content, and having lymphoid tissue beneath the epithelium. Total excision is the only treatment for complete cure.