[Diagnostic and therapeutic problems posed by a congenital lateral fistula of the neck (author's transl)].

Cysts and congenital lateral cervical fistulas are related to the persistance of the normally transitory branchial pouches and their embryologico-anatomic arrangement. Due to this fact they have a preferential topography. An atypical fistula of the second branchial cleft is reported. It is a congenital supra-hyoidian lateral cervical fistula with an intra-parotid route which terminates in the tonsils. The extreme variability of the external orifice, the pathogenic nature of the internal orifice and of the fistular route, as well as the initial discovery of the facial nerve and tonsillectomy in lateral fistulas of the neck are, by the same occasion, brought to mind.