Oral foregut cyst in a neonate

J Craniofac Surg. 2013 Nov;24(6):2158-60. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0b013e31829af985.

Abstract

Oral foregut cysts are congenital choristomas that arise in the oral cavity during embryonic development from remnants of foregut-derived epithelium. This is an unusual report of a neonate with a large congenital sublingual cystic lesion, extending superficially from the left ventral tongue to the anterior floor of the mouth, impeding breast-feeding. The differential diagnosis included dermoid cyst, epidermoid cyst, mucous retention cyst, and oral lymphangioma. The treatment of choice was enucleation under general anesthesia. Histology showed a cystic lesion with a ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with numerous goblet cells. Immunohistochemistry was positive for cytokeratin 7 and thyroid transcription factor 1 and negative for cytokeratin 20, resulting in a final diagnosis of an oral foregut cyst. Three weeks after surgery, the tongue had healed with good mobility, and breast-feeding could be established. No recurrence was present at 6 months of follow-up.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Choristoma / pathology
  • Cysts / pathology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Epithelium / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mouth Neoplasms / pathology*