[Carotid sinus syndrome associated with a left parapharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma]

Carotid sinus syndrome (SSC) is quite rarely associated with malignancy of the head and neck. We report a case of mixed type of SSC coupled to a left parapharyngeal centroblastic polymorphic non-Hodgkin lymphoma with high degree of histological malignancy. Syncope was the starting symptom and diagnosis, suspected on the ground of objective local signs, was settled by neck CT. Histological identification was performed after the tumor was surgically removed. Paralysis of left vocal cord and left cervical sympathetic nerve resulted associated with disappearance of spontaneous hypotensive events. The complex diagnostic program, often borne by such patients, stimulates to a critical review.