A Case of Heterotopic Brain Tissue in the Soft Palate / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Heterotopic brain tissue is a very rare developmental anomaly in which isolated brain tissue is found outside the cranial cavity. In the majority of cases, the nasal cavity is the most common site of involvement, and only 10 cases which were developed in the palate have been reported in the international literature. Recently, we experienced a case in which heterotropic brain tissue, a congenital tumor-like mass, was observed in the soft palate. This was considered initially as hemangioma under MRI study, and under this impression, we observed this lesion to regress spontaneously for two years. Surgical excisoin was performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purpose since the mass have had no interval change. Histopathological diagnosis of positive immunohistochemical reaction was performed for the heterotropic brain tissue using S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). At the present time, the patient has no evidence of the disease, recurrence nor complication. We present this case with a review of literature.