Cervical sinus

Cervical sinus
Scheme of the pharyngeal arches I–IV: pharyngeal arches 1–4: pharyngeal pouches (inside) and/or pharyngeal grooves (outside) a: Tuberculum laterale b: Tuberculum impar c: Foramen cecum d: Ductus thyreoglossus e: Sinus cervicalis
Details
Identifiers
Latin	sinus cervicalis
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

The cervical sinus is a structure formed during embryonic development. It is a deep depression found on each side of the neck. It is formed as the second pharyngeal arch (hyoid arch) grows faster than the other pharyngeal arches, so they become covered. The first pharyngeal arch (mandibular arch) also grows slightly faster. It may fail to obliterate, forming a branchial cleft cyst or fistula, which is prone to infection.