Heterotopic Salivary Gland Located in the Middle Neck

A rare case of a heterotopic salivary gland located m and draining to the middle neck is presented and the literature is reviewed. Youngs and Scofield (1967) suggested that such glands are located mainly in the lower neck and developed by heteroplasia within a remnant of the precervical sinus of His. Clinically doctors should be attentive of the differential diagnosis of draining sinuses such as a second branchial cleft sinus in the neck. The present case is of interest because: 1) such a lesion m the middle neck is extremely rare (this to our knowledge, the third case reported in the literature), and 2) a sinugram through the opening showed an arborizing pattern suggesting the possibility of a heterotopic salivary gland rather than of a second branchial cleft sinus before surgery. This lesion can be easily cured if diagnosed correctly and especially when a sinugram made before surgery.