CONGENITAL MEDIASTINAL CYSTS OF FOREGUT ORIGIN

Abstract

SINCE 1870, when von Wyss¹ first reported a case of mediastinal cyst lined with primitive esophageal mucosa, 74 cases of intrathoracic cysts of foregut origin have been reported in the literature.² Of these 35 cysts were lined with epithelium derived from the primitive foregut in the region of the lung bud or from the lung bud itself, 12 cysts were lined with primitive esophageal epithelium,³ 15 with gastric mucosa, 4 with intestinal mucosa and 8 with mixed types of esophageal, gastric, enteric and respiratory epithelium. The 8 cysts last mentioned include 4 lined with gastroenteric epithelium, 2 with esophagogastric lining, 1 with esophagotracheal mucosa and 1 with bronchoesophageal epithelium. The comparative rarity of these cysts, especially those lined with gastroenteric epithelium, prompts us to report the following case: REPORT OF A CASE History.—Baby D. J. L., a 9 day old, white boy was transferred from the