title: Huge Thornwaldt's cyst: a case report.
abstract: Thornwaldt's bursa, also known as nasopharyngeal bursa, is a recess in the midline of the nasopharynx that is produced by persistent notochord remnants. If its opening becomes obstructed, possibly due to infection or a complication from adenoidectomy, a Thornwaldt's cyst might develop. Here, we present a 53-year-old man who complained of nasal obstruction that had progressed for 1 year. Nasopharyngoscopy showed a huge nasopharyngeal mass. Thornwaldt's cyst was suspected. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a lesion measuring 3.6 x 3.4 cm, intermediate on T1-weighted and high signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging, neither bony destruction nor connection to the brain. The patient underwent endoscopic surgery for this huge mass. Afterwards, his symptoms improved significantly. We present the treatment and differential diagnosis of a nasopharyngeal cyst.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jia-Hau
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chih-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Ka-Wo
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kuen-Yao
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Wen-Rei
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Ling-Feng
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009302:Nasopharyngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology