Neck lumps

Question 1

-most common cause of neck swellings
-history of local infection or generalised viral illness

Answer 1

Reactive lymphadenopathy

Question 2

-rubbery, painless lymphadenopathy
-may be associated night sweats and splenomegaly

Answer 2

Lymphoma

Question 3

-moves upward on swallowing
-may be hypo-, eu-, or hyperthyroid symptomatically

Answer 3

Thyroid swelling

Question 4

-more common in patients <20 years old
-usually midline, between the isthmus of the thyroid and the hyoid bone
-moves upwards with protrusion of the tongue
-may be painful if infected

Answer 4

Thyroglossal cyst

Question 5

-more common in older men
-represents a posteromedial herniation between thyropharyngeus and cricopharyngeus muscles
-usually not seen but if larger then a midline lump in the neck that gurgles on palpation
-typical symptoms are dysphagia, regurgitation, aspiration and chronic cough

Answer 5

Pharyngeal pouch

Question 6

-a congenital lymphatic lesion (lymphangioma) typically found in the neck, classically on the left side
-most are evident at birth, around 90% present before 2 years of age

Answer 6

Cystic hygroma

Question 7

-an oval, mobile cyst that develops between the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the pharynx
-develop due to failure of obliteration of the second branchial cleft in embryonic development
-usually present in early adulthood

Answer 7

Branchial cyst

Question 8

-more common in adult females
-around 10% develop thoracic outlet syndrome
-an extra rib that forms above first rib

Answer 8

Cervical rib

Question 9

Pulsatile lateral neck mass which doesn’t move on swallowing

Answer 9

Carotid aneurysm

Question 10

What is trismus?

Answer 10

locked jaw

Question 11

What is gingival hyperplasia?

Answer 11

Excessive growth of the gums

Question 12

Describe mastoiditis

Answer 12

-mastoiditis typically develops when a bacterial infection spreads from the middle to the mastoid air spaces of the temporal bone
-mastoiditis can lead to meningitis, facial nerve palsies, and hearing loss and requires immediate medical treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics.