Coexistence of pyriform sinus fistula, ectopic lingual thyroid, and ectopic cervical thymus.
OBJECTIVE
We report an extremely rare case of coexistence of pyriform sinus fistula, ectopic lingual thyroid, and ectopic cervical thymus.


METHODS
A 16-year-old girl with ectopic lingual thyroid had suffered repetitive painful swelling in the left anterior neck. Barium swallow radiography and computed tomography revealed a fistula arising from the pyriform sinus running down to the anterior neck. She underwent transcervical fistulectomy with preservation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen showed coexisting thymic tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
This illustrative case exemplifies the different embryological origin of the thyroid from that of the third and fourth pharyngeal pouch derivatives.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Toyoaki
T
Ohbuchi
Takanori
T
Mori
Takahisa
T
Tabata
Makoto
M
Hanaguri
Masanori
M
Hisaoka
Koichi
K
Hashida
Hideaki
H
Suzuki
D000293:Adolescent; D002828:Choristoma / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D046151:Lingual Thyroid / Q000150:complications*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000196:embryology; D056144:Pyriform Sinus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000196:embryology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000196:embryology