COMPLETE BRANCHIAL FISTULAS MANAGED BY COMBINED ‘TRANSCERVICAL’, ‘TRANSORAL’ APPROACH IN A MEDICAL COLLEGE HOSPITAL

Background/ objectives:Branchial arch anomalies form 20% of the congenital head and neck lesions and differ in their management depending on the arch involved. As all these anomalies are managed surgically accurate surgical anatomy is essential as it should be tailored to the lesion involved like it being a cyst, sinus or a fistula. Materials and methods: 11 cases of complete branchial fistula were excised by the combined approach. 6 were females and 5 males, with average age group of 9.09 years and 3 were left sided and 8 right sided. Classical transcervical approach with double incisions at the fistula and hyoid and transoral avulsion of fistula with tonsillectomy done under general anaesthesia in all cases. Results:The average length of the fistula was 7.27 cms. The patients were followed up monthly for six months and later 6 monthly for 2 years. No recurrence were seen on 6-94 months of follow-up with an average follow-up of 43 months. Conclusion:Combined transcervical transoral approach is the conventional procedure of choice for complete branchial fistulas. This approach with no recurrence rates can be made scarless with meticulous tensionless dermal suturing and best skin approximation.