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Cervical ectopic thymus: a case report and review of the literature
Domenico Saggese1, Giacomo Ceroni Compadretti, Cosetta Cartaroni
1Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche e Anestesiologiche, Sezione Otorinolaringoiatrica, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. giacomoceroni@libero.it
Insights
Ectopic cervical thymic tissue, a rare cause of neck masses in children, was identified as a thymic cyst in a young male patient. Surgical excision and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis, highlighting its importance in differential diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Head and Neck Pathology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Ectopic thymic tissue in the neck is an uncommon congenital anomaly.
- It presents as a neck mass, often in pediatric patients.
- Differential diagnosis of cervical masses requires consideration of rare entities.
Observation:
- A young male presented with a soft, right mid-cervical mass.
- The mass was surgically excised for diagnosis.
- Histological examination revealed an ectopic thymic cyst.
Findings:
- Histopathology confirmed the cervical mass as an ectopic thymic cyst.
- This case underscores the rarity of cervical thymic tissue.
- The lesion's origin is linked to embryological development.
Implications:
- Ectopic cervical thymic tissue should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pediatric neck masses.
- Surgical excision is the standard management for symptomatic lesions.
- Further literature review is needed to fully understand embryological origins and clinical presentations.
Abstract:
Ectopic cervical thymic tissue is rarely reported in medical literature, but it should be included in the differential diagnosis of neck masses, especially in children. The authors present the case of a young male with a soft right mid-cervical mass. The patient underwent complete excision of the lesion and histological examination showed an ectopic thymic cyst. The embryological development, clinical presentation and management of ectopic thymic lesions are discussed together with a review of the literature.
