Branchial fistula

[Eskino]

Hi, has anyone had experience of branchial fistulas?

My newborn has a tiny hole at the base of her throat, to one side. On googling, I found that its most likely a branchial fistula, one of those weird human anomalies that are formed very early on in pregnancy and usually disappear. Something to do with gills (?!). It can be an opening that leads directly into the throat or to an internal organ

It wasn't picked up on at the hospital and neither the community midwife or the health visitor have noticed it. Is it a "something-nothing" i should just let alone or should I see the GP about it?

Any advice, personal experience or more info would be much appreciated.

I can't offer any personal advice but I would get it checked out by the GP anyway as the doctors are the best placed to tell you if anything needs to be done or not.

I would call your GP / HV in the morning.

When you say a small hole - how small? Do you mean through the akin?

Hi, it's pinhole sized. Yep, looks like a little nick in the skin, which is what I thought it was at first. Thought perhaps the surgeon had caught her during the c-section. I Don't know why I didn't mention it in hospital but you kind of think, well, if no one has picked it up, maybe its normal. Iyswim?

Just wondered if it was a common occurrence.

Anyone about who might have come across this before? I find it intriguing.

Hi there. It sounds like Branchial fistula. I notice small hole on my baby neck when he was a day old because it was dischargeing bit of fluid as he was feeding. No one had noticed it either so I thought I'll wait and see if it goes away. I think I took him to GP when he was 3 months old. The doctor didn't seem to know what it was and referred us to ENT at st grorge's hospital. My little boy is 1and half years old now and he had the operation on wednesday to have it removed. I been told it's rare but nothing to worry about and it's better if they remove it while child is still young because of infection as they get older. I hope this has of help to you.

My brother had this as a baby (he's no in his 30's!). You would never have known! His was quite large and milk used to dribble out of it (nice!). He had an operation to fix the hole and once that was done he had no problems at all.