Midline swelling is seen in all except:
High-Yield Explanation
Midline swellings of the neck from above downwards are: Ludwig's angina, enlarged submental lymph nodes, sublingual dermoid and lipoma in the submental region; thyroglossal cyst and subhyoid bursitis; goitre of the thyroid isthmus and pyramidal lobe, enlarged lymph nodes and lipoma in the suprasternal space of Burns, retrosternal goitre and thymic swelling. A dermoid cyst may occur anywhere in the midline.
Lateral swellings according to their sites may be divided into the following regions:
SUBMANDIBULAR TRIANGLE.— Besides the lymph nodes and enlarged submandibular salivary gland, there may be deep or plunging ranula and extension of growth from the jaw.
In the CAROTID TRIANGLE aneurysm of the carotid artery, carotid body tumour, branchial cyst and branchiogenic carcinoma may be met with. Thyroid swellings will be deep to the sternomastoid, a sternomastoid tumour may develop in a new-born baby,
In the POSTERIOR TRIANGLE — besides enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes, there may be cystic hygroma, pharyngeal pouch, subclavian aneurysm, aberrant thyroid, cervical rib, lipoma (Dercum's disease) etc.
Key Concept:
Branchial cyst is lateral swelling of neck present in the carotid triangle.
Reference: A MANUAL ON CLINICAL SURGERY, S. Das 9th ed page no 369