Parathyroid Cyst

ABSTRACT

Parathyroid cysts are an uncommon cause of neck masses, which are rarely suspected before surgery. Although several theories of their origin have been proposed, none has been proven satisfactorily to the exclusion of the others. We experienced a 33-year-old euthyroid woman presenting with a mass on the jugular notch. She complained of throat discomfort. An ultrasound of the mass in the neek suggested a thyroglossal duct cyst. Treatment consisted of a neck exploration and the removal of a 4x3x3 cm cystic mass. The cystic mass contained a clear fluid with a high level of parathyroid hormones in excess of 11.4 ng/ml. The pathological diagnosis revealed a benign parathyroid cyst. This report reviews current knowledge of parathyroid cysts as well as the relevant literature.