Salivary heterotopia, cysts, and the parathyroid gland - Branchial pouch derivatives and remnants

Five cases of periparathyroid salivary heterotopia associated with cysts we re studied. The specimens were obtained from three men and two women age 36 to 62 years who underwent surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism (four pa tients) and thyroid nodule (one patient). The heterotopia-cyst combination occurred with normal and abnormal parathyroid glands (four inferior and one of unknown location). Review of histologic slides of all parathyroid gland s excised from 258 patients during a 1-year period at the Mayo Clinic revea led two similar salivary gland-cyst units. Seven more cases featured one or more periparathyroid cysts, five with other nonsalivary-type epithelial ac companiments. One of the latter additionally had a focus of parathyroid cel ls in the cyst wall, and associated thyroid parenchyma with C cells, and ca rtilage.