parapharyngeal neuroglial heterotopia

Parapharyngeal neuroglial heterotopia is usually found in neonates with clinical manifestations of airway obstruction, feeding difficulty, and a neck mass.

This anomaly seems to have a left side and female predominance in previously reported cases.

Other associated developmental anomalies have been reported, such as cleft palate, Pierre-Robin syndrome, and congenital heart disease.

Unlike meningoencephaloceles, brain heterotopias lack connection with the subarachnoid space.

Neuroglial heterotopia has been defined as a mass composed of mature brain tissue isolated from the cranial cavity or spinal canal.

This anomaly can occur in the nasal cavity, scalp, orbit, pterygopalatine fossa, pharynx, palate, lips, tongue, middle ear region and even lung.

See also

 nasal heterotopic brain (misnamed "nasal glioma")