An unusual otoscopic finding associated with a type II first branchial cleft anomaly.

OBJECTIVE

We report an interesting case involving a child with a branchial cleft anomaly with two fistulous tracts, one of which was associated with an unusual otoscopic finding.

CASE REPORT: A seven-year-old girl presented with an apparent type II first branchial cleft cyst after an acute infection. Parotidectomy and excision of the tract were performed, with subsequent development of pre-auricular swelling three months later. Further surgery was performed to remove a second duplication anomaly of the external auditory canal. Otomicroscopy showed a fibrous band arising from the wall of the canal and attached to the tympanic membrane at the umbo.

CONCLUSION

Otoscopic findings on physical examination can be important diagnostic clues in the early recognition of branchial cleft anomalies. The classification system proposed by Work may fail to describe some branchial cleft lesions.