Unusual presentations of enlarged parathyroid cysts: two case reports

Parathyroid cyst: A rare entity

Parathyroid cysts are an uncommon entity. They are classified as functioning and nonfunctioning cysts. Cyst aspiration with detection of parathyroid hormone is a useful tool to confirm the diagnosis. Here, we report four cases of parathyroid cysts. One patient had a functioning cyst. Ultrasonography of the neck revealed a cystic lesion behind the left lobe of the thyroid gland in two cases and a right cystic thyroid nodule in two cases. The cysts exerted a mass effect on the adjacent structures in two cases without clinical compressive symptoms. Fine-needle aspiration with detection of parathyroid hormone in the cyst fluid was performed in one case (nonfunctioning cyst): intracystic parathyroid hormone level was high. Recurrence was noted 1 month after the cyst aspiration. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Our series is characterized by two cases of nonfunctioning intrathyroidal parathyroid cysts which are very uncommon. They are mistaken for thyroid cysts. After surgery, no recurrence was noted. We aim to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical features of this condition as well as its therapeutic modalities.