Clinical Management of Bronchogenic Cysts
Summary
Bronchogenic cysts are congenital foregut malformations that most commonly occur in the mediastinum or lung parenchyma. Although often asymptomatic, they may present with chest pain, cough, dyspnoea or dysphagia when they enlarge or become infected. Cross-sectional imaging using computed tomography and magnetic resonance provides detailed characterisation of cyst size, wall thickness and relationship to adjacent structures. Endoscopic ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration may be employed when diagnostic uncertainty persists or to exclude malignant transformation. Complete surgical excision remains the definitive treatment to prevent complications such as infection, haemorrhage or malignant change. Minimally invasive techniques, notably video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, have become the standard approach in suitable cases, offering reduced postoperative pain and shorter hospital stays compared with open thoracotomy. Perioperative management includes careful airway control, avoidance of cyst rupture and prophylactic antibiotics when infection is suspected. Long-term follow-up with periodic imaging is advised, especially in incompletely resected cysts, to monitor for recurrence.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Clinical Management of Bronchogenic Cysts publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in clinical management of bronchogenic cysts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bronchogenic cyst: A congenital cystic lesion arising from abnormal budding of the embryonic foregut.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS): A minimally invasive surgical technique using small thoracic incisions and a camera to perform intrathoracic procedures.
Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS): A procedure combining endoscopy and ultrasound to obtain high-resolution images of structures adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract.
Fine-needle aspiration (FNA): A technique in which a thin needle is used to extract fluid or cells from a lesion for cytological analysis.
Mediastinum: The central compartment of the thoracic cavity bounded by the pleural sacs, containing the heart, great vessels, trachea and oesophagus.
References
- Clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with bronchogenic cysts: a single-center retrospective analysis. BMC Medical Imaging (2023).
- A Case Report of Esophageal Bronchogenic Cyst and Review of the Literature With an Emphasis on Endoscopic Ultrasonography Appearance. Medicine (2016).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.