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Start free with EleplanThird branchial cleft anomaly
ORPHA:141030Morphological anomaly
Also called Third branchial cleft cyst · Third branchial cleft fistula
What it is
A rare otorhinolaryngeal malformation characterized by a soft, fluctuant mass, abscess or draining tract along the anterior border of the lower half of sternocleidomastoid muscle, occasionally leading to development of retropharyngeal abscess, acute suppurative thyroiditis, stridor, respiratory distress, odynophagia, and dysphagia. Anomaly occurs as a tract from the piriform sinus to the thyroid gland. A third branchial cleft fistula passes superficial to both the superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves, which is the main difference in comparison to the fourth branchial cleft fistula.
Key facts
- Classified as
- Morphological anomaly
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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