Dr. Anjana Vasudevan, Dr. C Kaliyappa, Dr. Ponniah Iyyappan
Embryologically the ventral bud develops into primitive foregut and tracheobronchial tree. Any malformation in this would cause a cystic lesion along the tracheobronchial tree or the foregut. The incidence of this occurring is about 1 case per 68, 000 populations. Here we present a case of sublingual swelling in a 22 year young female, with no other complaints. Her history was impeccable. All routine investigations were normal. MRI head and neck suggested a ranula. She was planned and taken up for excision biopsy. The excised specimen was sent to histopathological examination which revelled the swelling to be a bronchogenic cyst. Bronchogenic cysts are an embryological anomaly and are found anywhere along the foregut. They can present in both adults and children. 7 to 15 % of all foregut cysts are bronchogenic cysts says literature. These cysts are generally asymptomatic but have a 10% chance of turning malignant.
Dr. Anjana Vasudevan, Dr. C Kaliyappa, Dr. Ponniah Iyyappan. Unanticipated mystery unravelled. International Journal of Medicine Research, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2017, Pages 01-03