Primary syphilis of the tonsil mimicking lymphoma [Abstract in English]

• Autor(a) principal: Martha, Viviane Feller
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Steffen, Nédio, Martha, Aline Silveira, Ferri, Juliana Jonhson
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Scientia Medica (Porto Alegre. Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/scientiamedica/article/view/6683
• topic: SYPHILIS; PALATINE TONSIL; HYPERTROPHY; LYMPHOMA; SÍFILIS; TONSILA PALATINA; HIPERTROFIA; LINFOMA; ADULTO.

Aims: To report an unusual case of syphilis affecting the tonsil and to review the literature on the subject. Case description: A 60 year-old Caucasian man presented a swelling of the right side of the neck, and hiponasal voice, four months following a surgery to remove an adenoma of the left submandibular gland. The physical examination showed cervical lymphadenopathy, and a computed tomography scan revealed a cervical mass. Fine-needle aspiration failed to rule out lymphoepithelioma. The right tonsil was clearly pathological and an extended right tonsillectomy was undertaken. A diagnosis of syphilis was established based on pathological analysis combined with blood tests results. Conclusions: While many chancres appear on the genitals, they may be seen anywhere on the body. The hallmark of syphilis is the absence of pain and the patient’s feeling of a lump in the throat. Although infrequent, syphilis should enter in the differential diagnosis of unilateral tonsillar hypertrophy.