Benign Ectopic Thyroid in the Lateral (Level II) Neck Compartment

Ectopic thyroid most commonly presents in the midline and is typically associated with the absence of an orthotopic thyroid. Less commonly, ectopic thyroid can present in the lateral neck, typically with a coexisting orthotopic thyroid and abnormal pathology in either the ectopic or orthotopic thyroid tissue. This paper describes a rare case of a benign, ectopic thyroid in the lateral neck (level II) associated with a normal, benign orthotopic thyroid. This report illustrates clinical pearls for the management of this unusual entity.