Question

A newborn boy had a soft, fluctuant, lobulated mass on the posterior part of the neck, extending into the axilla. The clinical diagnosis is

• A. Spring water cyst
• B. Myelocele
• C. Cystic Hygroma
• D. Bronchial cyst

Hint:

Think of a congenital lymphatic swelling that lights up on transillumination and favours the posterior triangle of the neck.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

This question tests recognition of a classic congenital neck swelling in a newborn from its clinical description.

1. Spring water cyst: An older alternative name for the same lesion, but not the standard clinical term expected here.
2. Myelocele: A spinal neural tube defect, unrelated to a neck or axillary swelling.
3. Cystic Hygroma: A lymphatic malformation that is soft, fluctuant, and lobulated, classically found in the posterior triangle of the neck and extending into the axilla, matching the vignette exactly.
4. Bronchial cyst: Arises from branchial remnants along the front of the sternocleidomastoid, a different location and texture.

Correct answer: Cystic Hygroma.