January 2014 – Paraesophageal Ectopic Parathyroid
Case Report An 83-year-old male, dependent for daily life activities due to dementia, was admitted with prostration and asthenia lasting for a few days. Blood tests showed hypercalcaemia (12.9 mg/dL) and hypophosphatemia at 1.7 mg/dL. Further investigation revealed increased serum parathyroid hormone levels (321 pg/ml) compatible with primary hyperparathyroidism, with normal levels of Vitamin D. CT scan of the neck detected a right paraesophageal 18 mm mass with tissue density (Figure 1). Figure 1: Cervical CT scan: Right paraesophageal 18 mm mass with tissue density (arrows) Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed no relevant findings. Endoscopic ultrasound showed a hypoechoid 17x11x27 mm mass with heterogeneous structure, apparently extrinsic to the esophagus located 20 cm from the dental arcade (Figure 2). Figure 2a & 2b. Endoscopic ultrasound: Hypoechoid 17x11x27 mm lesion with heterogeneous echostructure. Endoscopic-guided fine-needle aspiration of the lesion was done through a transesophageal approach. The histological findings were compatible with ectopic parathyroid tissue, without dysplasia (Figure 3). Figure 3a-c. Histological findings (a- Hematoxylin and eosin; b- Chromogranin; c- Synaptophysin). The patient was referred for surgery, for ectopic parathyroidectomy procedure. Commentary The incidence of ectopic parathyroid glands in patients with primary hyperparathyrodism ranges from 9% to 20%. The ectopic parathyroid glands are more often derived from the inferior glands because of their longer migration path, granting them a higher probability of being ectopic. However, ectopic parathyroid glands in the paraesophageal space are derived from the superior gland precursors. Ectopic gland surgical excision is advised for patients with prominent […]
