The congenital cervical midline cleft. Case report and review of literature

Congenital midline cervical clefts (CMCC) are rare. There have been approximately 50 reports in the international literature with the majority found in Caucasian females. They consist of a skin tag, mucosal surface and a caudal sinus in the ventral midline of the neck. The embryological cause is disputed, as is the best course of treatment. A case of a 4-month-old Indian boy with a congenital midline cervical cleft is reported. The appropriate investigations are described as well as a new method of correcting the lesion. In addition, the most likely aetiological basis for the condition are discussed. (c) 2004 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.