Introduction and importance: Head and neck paragangliomas are slowly growing benign tumors and they originate from specialized neural crest cells. We report an unusual combined glomus vagal and jugular tumor that was rarely described in the literature to the best of our knowledge. Case presentation A 51 years old female with no pathological history was presented to our ENT department with 6 months’ history of a right latero cervical swelling gradually increasing in size associated with a swallowing difficulties and hoarseness. Preoperatively clinical examination had found vagal and hypoglossal nerve paralysis. Cervical CT scan and MRI had shown glomus jugular tumor. The patient underwent a surgical excision with severe swallowing difficulties and facial palsy in the immediate postoperative period with a mild recovery afterwards. Clinical discussion Paragangliomas of the mesotympanum and jugular foramen most commonly present as a vascular middle ear mass. The most common presenting symptom is pulsatile tinnitus occurring in 80% followed by hearing loss (60%). Dysfunction of cranial nerves traversing the jugular foramen may be commonly encountered with resultant abnormalities of speech, swallowing and airway function. Vagal paragangliomas are the least common of the three primary craniocervical paragangliomas. The most common presenting sign is the presence of a painless neck mass accompanied occasionally by dysphagia and hoarseness. The association of both glomus vagal and jugular tumor is rarely described in the literature to the best of our knowledge. Conclusion Head and neck paragangliomas are slowly growing benign tumors and they originate from specialized neural crest cells. Vagal paragangliomas are the least common of the three primary craniocervical paragangliomas. The association of both glomus vagal and jugular tumor is rarely described in the literature to the best of our knowledge. The choice of treatment depends on the location, size, and also biologic activity of the tumor as well as the physical condition of the patient.

Lateral neck ectopic thyroid tissue remains a rare entity that can be affected by any lesion involving the gland. The origin of lateral neck ectopic thyroid carcinomas still debated between a metastatic disease secondary to thyroid primary tumor and primary malignancy on the ectopic tissue. Anyway, it should indicate an exploration of the gland. We report the case of a 36 years old female with one year history of hyperthyroidism who was admitted for multinodular grade II goiter with a firm mass in the left level II of the lateral neck. The thyroid scintigraphy demonstrated multiple functioning nodules corresponding to toxic multinodular goiter; in addition to two cold hypofunctional nodules. The cervical ultrasound showed a voluminous multinodular goiter classified as EU TIRADS 5. The surgical procedure exposed a multinodular mass, lateral to the internal jugular vein, with the appearance and structure of the thyroid gland and no connection to it. The thyroid gland was exposed next through a collar incision. Each mass was dissected and removed individually. The histopathology examination of the thyroid gland found papillary carcinoma extracapsular extension. The pathology results of the other mass reported multiple colloid nodules with cystic component, papillary in appearance, with the same cancer proliferation, compatible with ectopic thyroid tissue with papillary carcinoma. No lymph node tissue was found. The patient was sent for complementary RAItherapy. We report a rare case of lateral neck ectopic thyroid papillary carcinoma that supplements and supports the lacking literature data concerning the management of this rare entity.

Foreign bodies of the nose are mostly common in paediatric population. In teenagers and adults, they are predominately seen in patients with mental disturbances. Usually with acute presentation, they also can remain in place for a long time. The main clinical presentation is unilateral purulent rhinorrhea possibly associated, in chronic cases, to nasal deformities, nasomaxillary abnormalities or rhinolithes. The removal can require a surgical procedure under general anaesthesia specifically in front of neglected foreign bodies covered by mucosa or previous multiple failed attempts. We report the case of a 14-years-old girl, with mental retardation, who consulted in our structure for a swelling in the left nasal alar base evolving progressively since 4 months, with intermittent purulent rhinorrhea not improved after medical treatment. No incident of nasal foreign body insertion was reported or witnessed by the patient and its family. The facial CT scan confirmed the diagnosis and the removal required surgical procedure. The diagnosis of neglected nasal foreign body should always be considered in front of unilateral nasal obstruction and discharge specifically in children and mentally disabled patients. Its removal should be rapid in order to avoid the constitution of rhinolithes and nasal deformities.

The majority of parotid gland tumors is benign with a vast histologic diversity. But, malignant transformation, even though rare, can occur for almost each histological type. Multiple predictive factors are determined as well as the histologic findings corresponding to the transformation. Through this mini review, we expose the malignant potential of each histological type of benign parotid gland tumors, describing the incidence and the forms of the transformation.The main aim to this mini review is to highlight the importance of always considering the malignant potential of benign parotid tumors in order to provide the best care and the least number of interventions to our patients.

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