Branchial cleft cyst diagnosis/treatment advice?

Does anyone here have any actual insight into surgery for a branchial cleft cyst on the neck? I’m mostly worried about the recovery process. From what little I’ve managed to dig up online, it sounds like they might have to remove part of the hyoid bone. Is that actually part of the tongue structure? Also, does anyone know what happens if I just decide not to go through with the surgery at all? Thanks.

Anyone there? Nothing? So, I just found out today that my upcoming surgery is similar to what you'd see for a thyroglossal duct cyst—specifically, they mentioned a Sistrunk procedure. I've been scouring American medical sites and I can't find a single thing about it. Surely I'm not the first person in the US facing this kind of operation.

Hey there! So, I've been dealing with a clean diverticulitis diagnosis for about three years now—I keep putting off surgery because I’m always hoping I can find some kind of alternative way to handle it. Since it’s been a while since your last update, I was wondering if you ended up going through with the procedure? How did everything go? Best,

Hey there, I had my surgery at the start of November. Everything went smoothly—actually, it was a lot easier than I expected. I ended up staying in the hospital for five days and had my stitches removed on the eighth. If you have any specific questions, I’m happy to help.

I have so many questions 🙂 my biggest headache right now is the recovery process—with a little one running around at home, I have no idea how I’m going to juggle everything... how long did it take you to bounce back? Where did you end up having the procedure done? And how is the healing coming along—is the scar actually noticeable? Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if I'm being foolish by putting this off for so long... I've seen a few doctors for consultations, and some told me that as long as the cyst isn't causing issues—like getting inflamed—there's no real need to remove it. One doctor wanted to put me straight on the surgical list for general anesthesia, while another suggested just doing it under local anesthesia, which I immediately brushed off... lately, though, my ear has been acting up with this weird pain—almost like there's fluid trapped inside—so I'm really worried the cyst might have "activated."

I put off my surgery for two years. Eventually, my doctor convinced me it was better to get it over with while the cyst was still small, before things got inflamed. Apparently, once they get infected, the pain is brutal and they can swell up quite a bit. Since I’m a massive hypochondriac—honestly, just thinking about being in pain makes me lightheaded—I kept dragging my feet. Looking back, I really should have done it much sooner. The recovery was surprisingly smooth. I was out grabbing coffee the very next day, had my drain removed on day three, and was discharged by day five. I think they might have sent me home earlier, but since I don't live in a major hub like Chicago, I had to stay a bit longer. After I got out, I actually went straight to a shopping spree for a couple of hours, then spent five hours driving home. I wasn't in any pain at all; I just kept my neck stiff, mostly out of pure anxiety that something might go wrong. The incision is about 2 inches wide, but they tucked it right into a natural fold, so I don't think it'll be too noticeable. They took the stitches out around the seventh or eighth day. I had the procedure at Mercury Hospital, and honestly, the staff there was incredible. If you have more questions, just ask. Oh, and the cyst goes to pathology—usually takes about a week to get the results back.

Thanks so much for getting back to me! 🙂 I just had one more quick question—how did you end up going through Mercury Medical Center? What was that whole process like, and which doctor ended up performing your surgery?

Two years ago, I had thyroid surgery over at Mercury with Dr. Borčić, and honestly, the whole nursing staff was incredible. They made me feel so taken care of that when it came time for my gallbladder surgery, there wasn't even a question about where I'd go. I just grabbed my referral, headed in for a consultation, and got the procedure scheduled.

Is it even possible for that kind of bronchial issue to pop up once you've hit your 70s?

Just checking in now that I'm post-op. I ended up getting my surgery done at Mayo Clinic since it was just easier to coordinate everything there. The plan was straightforward—check in one day, get operated on the next, and head home the third. That’s what would have happened, anyway, if one of the anesthesiologists hadn't taken a vacation, leaving me stuck in the hospital for five days waiting for my turn... But honestly, it wasn't a big deal. The nurses on the floor were incredible; seriously, so kind, funny, and helpful—total rockstars. Plus, I had the wonderful Dr. Pirkl looking after me. All in all, once I finally got the procedure done, they pulled the drain the very next day and sent me packing. They didn't even use stitches; they just used this special medical glue to seal the incision. So, yeah, that's the update. It really wasn't anything to worry about. Right now, the spot where the IV was actually hurts more than the incision itself—I can barely even feel the cut 😁