Original report of bilateral carotid body tumors with 2 rare concomitant anatomic findings, an ectopic parathyroid gland and cervical thymus, with literature review.

Abstract

Carotid body tumors are uncommon neoplasms with unique epidemiology and management demands. Cervical embryology is complex. Developmental abnormalities can result in ectopic displacement of native tissues. We present the case of a 21-year-old female with bilateral carotid body paragangliomas who presented to our clinic seeking excision of the symptomatic right-sided tumor. The patient was successfully treated with surgical excision. Two rare anatomic variants were identified in her surgical specimen: a carotid sheath parathyroid gland and ectopic thymus tissue. This patient represents an unreported combination of pathologic and anatomic phenomena. The paraganglioma resulted from a familial genetic mutation that is well studied in this patient's ethnic population (Dutch), and the literature on this topic is reviewed herein. The 2 anatomic variants likely represent a single, embryologic glitch that will carry no physiologic sequelae. The clinical application of this ectopic anatomy and the common embryologic origins are discussed.