Apoptotic cell clearance in chronic inflammation of lateral neck cysts.

The mechanism driving accumulation of large numbers of apoptotic and necrotic neutrophils in inflamed lateral neck cysts (LNC), in the absence of infection, remains obscure. The cellular content of cysts obtained from 17 patients was co-cultured with human macrophages. Phagocytosis levels of cyst-derived neutrophils were determined and compared to the uptake of spontaneously apoptotic neutrophils.

[The presence of apoptotic neutrophils in contents of neck lateral cysts].

During the 2001-2003 time period 17 patients with neck lateral cysts were subjected to surgery at the Department of Otolaryngology, Regional Hospital in Tarnów. Collected cysts contents were analyzed with respect to bacterial infection and neutrophil presence as a measure of ongoing local inflammation. All samples were shown being sterile and half of them contained large numbers of neutrophils in advanced apoptosis.