Salivary heterotopia, cysts, and the parathyroid gland: branchial pouch derivatives and remnants.

Five cases of periparathyroid salivary heterotopia associated with cysts were studied. The specimens were obtained from three men and two women age 36 to 62 years who underwent surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism (four patients) 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 glands excised from 258 patients during a 1-year period at the Mayo Clinic revealed two similar salivary gland-cyst units. Seven more cases featured one or more periparathyroid cysts, five with other nonsalivary-type epithelial accompaniments. One of the latter additionally had a focus of parathyroid cells in the cyst wall, and associated thyroid parenchyma with C cells, and cartilage.