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Start free with EleplanMidline cervical cleft
ORPHA:141288Morphological anomaly
What it is
A rare neck malformation characterized by a congenital vertical atrophic and usually erythematous skin defect of variable length, lacking adnexal elements and located along the midline of the anterior neck. It typically presents with a superior skin tag, a midline subcutaneous fibrous cord which is often longer than the overlying skin defect, and an inferior blind sinus from which mucus can be expressed. The length of the defect increases with patients' age. Likewise, the fibrous cord becomes more prominent with age, potentially leading to restriction of neck extension if the malformation is left untreated. Other possible complications include microgenia, exostosis, torticollis, or infection.
Key facts
- Inheritance
- Not applicable
- Classified as
- Morphological anomaly
Recorded for the broader condition
- Age of onset
- Antenatal, NeonatalMedian facial cleft
Orphanet records these for the broader condition rather than for this specific form. They are a starting point, not a figure for this subtype — subtypes often differ, and some are defined by being rarer than the condition they sit under.
ICD-10 codes
ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.
Related health topics
Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.
Cross-references
Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999. Data version 2026-06-23. Available under CC BY 4.0. This is a reference, not medical advice.
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