Salem Robert, Ahmed Shahzeb, Gupta Priya, Xiao Yitong, Morris Maryam, Tiesenga Frederick
Surgery, Community First Medical Center, Chicago, USA.
Clinical Sciences, Saint James School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.
Cureus. 2022 Sep 29;14(9):e29749. doi: 10.7759/cureus.29749. eCollection 2022 Sep.
General surgeons frequently handle patients who present with an unknown neck mass. Due to the nature of diseases, medial neck soft tissue masses often manifest with variable etiologies and clinical signs and symptoms. Establishing a thorough evaluation of neck masses based on differential diagnoses is essential. The clinical evaluation of neck masses usually includes a thorough history and physical examination, advanced imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), and fine-needle aspiration biopsy. From a surgeon's standpoint, proper knowledge of tissue structure, anatomy, and pathology, and applying fundamental surgical principles ensure a successful management of such lesions. This case report intends to reveal the pathological and clinical nature of an unknown neck mass in a 60-year-old female, which was postoperatively diagnosed as an epidermal inclusion cyst (EIC). This report also intends to indicate the significance of surgical intervention to prevent EIC complications and improve patient's life quality.
普通外科医生经常会接诊颈部出现不明肿块的患者。由于疾病的性质,颈部内侧软组织肿块往往具有多种病因以及不同的临床体征和症状。基于鉴别诊断对颈部肿块进行全面评估至关重要。颈部肿块的临床评估通常包括详细的病史和体格检查、先进的成像技术,如磁共振成像(MRI)、超声检查、增强计算机断层扫描(CT)以及细针穿刺活检。从外科医生的角度来看,对组织结构、解剖学和病理学有充分的了解,并应用基本的外科原则,才能确保成功处理此类病变。本病例报告旨在揭示一名60岁女性颈部不明肿块的病理和临床性质,该肿块术后被诊断为表皮样囊肿(EIC)。本报告还旨在指出手术干预对于预防表皮样囊肿并发症和提高患者生活质量的重要性。