L Vučković, S Radović, N Sorat, A Filipović

Abstract

Introduction: Ectopia of thymic tissue in the neck is well known, while the ectopic thymic cysts are extremely rare. Literature enlists frequency of cervical thymic cysts from 0.3% to 1% of all congenital tumefactions in the neck area. They are usually diagnosed in early childhood. Case report: A nine-year-old girl was hospitalised at Department of Child Surgery, because of the painless cystic tumour at the left side of the neck. After the performed diagnostic procedures, a surgical exploration was done. The cystic tumour was dissected and sent to histopathological verification. During the histological analysis of the cyst wall, in the part that was 6 mm thick, thymic tissue was detected. Conclusion: Cervical thymic cysts must be considered in the differential diagnosis of cervical cystic formations, especially in child age and publications of case reports are important in order of caution when cervical cysts are examined.