A benign parathyroid cyst presenting with hoarse voice.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Head and Neck Surgery
• Pathology

Background:

• Parathyroid tumors and cysts are uncommon endocrine neoplasms.
• They can present as neck masses, often mistaken for thyroid nodules.
• Symptoms arise from local compression or hormonal imbalance.

Observation:

• A patient presented with persistent hoarseness.
• The hoarseness was attributed to pressure effects on the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
• A parathyroid cyst was identified as the causative lesion.

Findings:

• Parathyroid cysts can cause significant compressive symptoms.
• Misdiagnosis as thyroid lesions is a common clinical challenge.
• Recurrent laryngeal nerve involvement leads to vocal cord dysfunction.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of considering parathyroid lesions in neck mass differential diagnosis.
• Emphasizes the potential for rare endocrine tumors to cause neurological symptoms.
• Suggests careful evaluation of neck masses, especially those causing compressive symptoms.