Heterotopic gastric epithelium in the head and neck region

Heterotopic gastric epithelium in the head and neck area is a little-known entity, unsuspected by clinician and pathologist alike. We have reviewed the literature and discovered 14 cases of this entity. While previous reviews of the subject have, unfortunately, included reports of cases with heterotopic intestinal epithelium, our study addresses itself to separating the two. Five new cases of gastric heterotopia are reported in 3 female and 2 male patients ranging in age from 2 1/2 weeks to 70 years. Three cystic lesions occurred in the floor of the mouth, while 2 small nudular lesions were found in the region of the larynx. The larger lesions caused obstructive symptoms. An error in embryogenesis is the only plausible explanation for such heterotopic elements as gastric fundic, antral, and mucous neck types of epithelium, often associated with a partial muscularis mucosae, in the head and neck region. Treatment consists of surgical extirpation.