A rare cause of neck swelling: Spontaneous bleeding of the bronchogenic cyst

Abstract

Neck swellings can be caused by a variety of conditions, such as hemorrhage, congenital lesions, reactive lymphadenopathies, and cancer. Bronchogenic cyst is one of the congenital lesions of the lower airway. Bronchogenic cysts could expand and result in pain, compressive symptoms, and respiratory difficulty. A 45-year-old female presented to the emergency department with neck swelling, breathing abnormality, and pain. It was noted in the medical history that the patient regularly used aspirin. In the patient’s examination and imaging studies, a 45¥40¥56 mm, well-contoured, nonenhancing cystic lesion was observed in the right paratracheal area extending to the neck. The lesion deviated the trachea to the left. During inpatient follow-up, the patient’s complaints became markedly worse, and the patient had increased shortness of breath. Surgery was planned to remove the cyst, and the cyst was excised with the help of the thoracic surgery department. The pathology confirmed a bronchogenic cyst. In a patient experiencing neck swelling and respiratory distress, lesions spontaneously bleeding due to aspirin should be kept in mind. A fatal outcome may occur due to pressure on the airway.