A 36-year-old patient presented with dysphagia and cough. His medical history of interest included total thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter three years earlier. A cervical computed tomography scan demonstrated a nodule measuring 3.4cm in the parapharyngeal space (Fig. 1). Fine needle aspiration revealed metastasis of papillary carcinoma. An I131 scan confirmed a single uptake in that area, while lab work revealed a thyroglobulin level of 4.9ng/mL. The parapharyngeal mass was resected, and the histopathological study demonstrated papillary carcinoma metastasis. Stimulated thyroglobulin levels were normal 3 months later.
Single lymph node metastases of thyroid cancer in the retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal spaces are very rare. They are due to the migration of cells through the direct lymphatic drainage pathway, as described by Rouvière.
Please cite this article as: García López A, Balsalobre Salmeron MD, Carrillo MJ. Metástasis parafaríngea de carcinoma oculto de tiroides. Cir Esp. 2017;95:44.
