Second Branchial Cleft Cyst Expressing Estrogenic Receptors Arising during Pregnancy

Branchial arch anomalies may present as cysts, fistulas, or sinuses. A few cases of branchial cyst occurring in pregnant women have been previously described, characterized by growth and regression following delivery. We report on a case of a pregnant woman for which the branchial cyst increased during gestation and regressed in the months following childbirth. In the hypothesis that hormonal changes during pregnancy constituted the stimulus for growth, we included immunohistochemistry for estrogen receptors in the resected specimen. We assume that for those branchial cleft cysts arising during pregnancy it is important to postpone surgery, proposing an adequate follow-up following delivery. Cysts as such may express estrogen receptors and might regress in the months following childbirth, avoiding unnecessary surgery.