LYMPHOEPITHELIAL CYST: A CASE REPORT

Ankara Numune Hastanesi, 4. KBB Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye Lateral lymphoepithelial cysts or branchial cysts are unilateral and usually appear in the lateral aspect of the neck, anterior to the sternocleoidomastoid muscle. They are clinically apparent in late childhood or early adulthood. Theories have been proposed regarding the incomplete obliteration of branchial structures or salivary gland inclusion in lymph nodes or together. Oral lymphoepithelial cysts are found usually in tongue and floor of the mouth, and also can be seen in soft palate, anterior tonsillary pillar, retromolar region or rarely in tonsillary fossa. The clinical differential diagnosis of these lesions include tuberculous lymphadenitis, lipoma, cystic higroma, metastatic neoplasms, lymphomas, suppurative lymphadenitis, hemangioma, lyphangioma, laryngocele and ranula. The treatment is surgical excision. In this report, a 42 year-old man with a lymphoepithelial cycst in his right tonsillary fossa exrending into the vallecula is presented and the literature is reviewed. Keywords : Lymphoepithelial Cyst, oral, tonsil