Cartilaginous choristomas in tonsillectomy specimen: A prospective analysis

Cartilaginous Choristomas (CC) are rare benign lesion in the head and neck. In our study, we aimed to share the findings we have observed in CC cases in tonsillectomy specimens in daily practice.

This is a prospective analysis done at Department of Pathology, Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Medicine between 2002 and 2018. All of the tonsillectomy materials fixed in 10% formaldehyde were followed up by sampling one side of the cross-sections if no macroscopically specific pathology was observed routinely. All the specimens were processed and embedded in paraffin. The paraffin sections are stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined under microscope.

Tonsils of 141 patients among 2355 tonsillectomy patients had CC in their specimens. A total of 155 (3.68%) CC were detected because they were seen in bilaterally in 14 patients. More than one CC was observed in 20 patients. Two of the CC was observed calcification and one have ossification. No salivary gland was observed adjecent to the choristomas in 29 patients. Significant fibrosis was more frequent in patients 15 years of age and older.

The presence of hyaline cartilage in the tonsil is hamartomatous development. The CC observed in the tonsil is non fibrotic and not related to age. They can be unilateral, multifocal or bilateral in tonsil. None of the cases we have seen with the CC found a primary malignancy associated with tonsillitis. The incidence of ectopic cartilage in tonsillectomy specimen is %5.99.