Authors

• Guilherme Machado de Carvalho ¹
• Milena Silva de Lavor ¹
• Jeniffer Cristina Kozechen Rickli ²
• Tammy Fumiko Messias Takara ³
• Alexandre Caixeta Guimarães ¹
• Agrício Nubiato Crespo ¹

¹ Otolaryngologist, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck, Clinicas Hospital, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Brazil.

² Medical Doctor FCMSCSP (São aulo –SP) /FURB (Blumenau – SC), Brazil.

³ Medical Doctor FCMSCSP (São Paulo –SP) /FURB (Blumenau – SC), Brazil.

Abstract

Introduction 
Neck masses include a wide variety of diagnostic possibilities, with more than 60 etiologies that depend on clinical aspects such as age, location and time of disease progression. The interview and physical examination guide research that cross the neck masses in pediatric patients in 3 groups: infectious / inflammatory, and neoplastic embryonic remnants. The aim of this study was to present a protocol for evaluation of neck masses in the pediatric age group, based on a review of literature on the subject and experience of this service.
Materials and Methods
Survey of literature data from PubMed / Medline, Google Scholar and Scopus Database without language restriction, since 1980 sources, with the MeSH term "Pediatric neck mass". 
Results
Prepared flowchart guidelines to be followed according with diagnostic suspicions. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the initial clinical manifestations and according to etiological hypotheses formulated recommend evaluations protocols. 
Conclusion
The standardization of the evaluation of neck masses in children proves valuable and can help in the differential diagnosis of different etiologies involved.

Keywords

• Etiology
• Neck mass
• Pediatric neck mass