Thornwaldt cyst. Case report
Keywords:
angiofibroma, nasopharyngeal diseases, notochordAbstract
Introduction: Thornwaldt cyst is a rare condition of the midline of the nasopharynx. It originates from remains of the notochord in the embryonic period, near the superior constrictor muscle of the pharynx and surrounded by the mucosa of the nasopharynx. Its diagnosis is clinical and imaging if symptoms appear, and secondary during the search for another condition.
Objective: to present the case of a female patient with an asymptomatic Thornwaldt cyst, found incidentally in the imaging service of the Provincial General Teaching Hospital “Dr. Antonio Luaces Iraola” from Ciego de Ávila.
Case presentation: 47-year-old woman with a history of neck pain and subsequent radiation to the shoulder and arms; with radiological diagnosis of cervical degenerative arthropathy, neck mobility disorder, paresthesia and weakness in the upper limbs. In the images of the cervical spine, stenosis of the foramina of conjunction and disc-osteophyte complex causing indentation in the thecal sac and the posterior longitudinal ligament (anteroposterior diameter of 8 mm) were observed. A 12 mm rounded image in the midline of the posterior wall of the nasopharynx, with well-defined edges and a liquid appearance, related to a Thornwaldt cyst.
Conclusions: the patient presented alterations of the cervical spine that required imaging examinations, in which the cyst was observed as an incidental finding. Timely diagnosis of this rare condition is important to avoid damage to the quality of life of those affected by invasive treatments.
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