• fistole branchiali
• cisti branchiali
• chirurgia
• malformazioni collo

Purpose: The aim of this study is to present the clinical features, diagnostic methods and surgical treatment of branchial cleft anomalies in children, based on a series of 50 patients.
Materials and methods: a retrospective study was conducted on 50 pediatric patients who underwent surgery for branchial cleft anomalies in the period from June 2005 to June 2014 at two university hospitals in Italy.
Results: Twenty-seven patients (54%) had a second branchial cleft fistula, 11 (22%) had a second branchial cleft cyst, and 1 (2%) had both a cyst and sinus of the second branchial cleft.
Four patients (8%) had a first branchial cleft cyst whereas 4 (8%) had a first branchial cleft sinus and 2 (45) had a first branchial cleft fistula.
One patient (2%) had a pyriform sinus fistula (a third branchial cleft anomaly).
None of the patients had anomalies of the fourth branchial cleft.
All patients underwent surgical treatment and the lesions were removed by excision or fistulectomy.
No postsurgical complications occurred.
The recurrence rate was 45.
Conclusions: an absence of inflammation and complete excision of the lesion are essential to avoid reintervention and to achieve a good outcome in children with branchial anomalies.