Associated carotid body tumour and pharyngeal pouch

Paragangliomas are rare tumours which most commonly present as an asymptomatic neck mass. A small percentage of patients may have associated dysphagia. A 63-year-old male presented with a ten-month history of dysphagia. Physical examination revealed a pulsatile submandibular triangle neck mass. Computed tomography and angiography were diagnostic of a carotid body tumour. Barium swallow illustrated a hypopharyngeal pouch. He was treated by surgical excision of both lesions and cricopharyngeal myotomy. The simultaneous occurrence of both lesions has not been described before and highlights the need to find an alternative cause for dysphagia in patients with chemodectomas who fail to demonstrate oropharyngeal compression or lower cranial nerve palsies.