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. 2011 Jul;63(Suppl 1):147-8.
doi: 10.1007/s12070-011-0185-y. Epub 2011 Apr 11.

Tornwaldt cyst: a cause of neck pain and stiffness

Nitish Baisakhiya, Prasad Deshmukh, Vinod Pawar

Tornwaldt cyst: a cause of neck pain and stiffness

Nitish Baisakhiya et al. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 Jul.

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal cysts are rare, small in size and asymptomatic, usually diagnosed as in incidental finding on MRI. Large cyst commonly presents with obstructive symptoms. Tornwaldt cysts occur in the midline bursa of the nasopharynx above the upper border of the superior constrictor muscle. They represent as a communication between notochord remnants and the pharyngeal endoderm. We report this case because of its presentation and size (2.5 × 2 cm). It was presented as intermittent cervical pain, stiffness and vertigo because of prevertebral cervical muscle spasm due to cyst and nasal symptoms were not predominant. Although rare, it should be kept as a differential diagnosis for cervical myelgia and stiffness.

Keywords: MRI; Marsupialization; Neck stiffness; Tornwaldt cyst.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MRI [T1 (a, c), T2 (b, d, e)] showing a well defined with mild enhancement mass in the nasopharynx
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Endoscopic view showing mass in nasopharynx extending from the roof up to the soft palate
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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