The lymphoepithelial cyst, sometimes called the branchial cyst, is one of the lymphoepithelial lesions which share in common the dual participation of the epithelium and lymphoid tissue. The majority of these cysts involve the salivary glands and
the
neck, and the branchial cyst that occurred in the neck is called the benign cervical lymphoepithelial cyst.
The benign cervical lymphoepithelial cyst is one of the fissural cysts of the oral and maxillofacial region, although it is not a true fissural cyst, because of its developmental origin.
Bhaskar and Bernier have suggested substitution of the terms 'benign cystic lymph nodes' or 'benign lymphoepithelial cysts' for the more classic term, because this cyst originates through cystic transformation of epithelium entrapped in cervical
lymph
nodes, not a embryologic remnant. The source of this epithelium is unknown, but it is probably of salivary gland origin, a distinct embryologic possibility.
But, Little and Rickles reported that this cyst correlates with the areas of greatest concentrations of the two types of epithelial remnants that could give rise to the cyst-parotid versus branchial-it appeared that the branchial apparatus was
the
more
likely origin for this unique cyst.
We experienced a case of benign cervical lymphoepithelial cyst in a 22 years old female, and this article provides histogenesis of lymphoepithelial cyst.
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