Unusual Localizations of the Ectopic Parathyroid Gland on the Anterior Aspect of the Thyroid: A Report of Two Cases.

Abnormally located or supernumerary parathyroid glands are not rare. Ectopic parathyroid glands can be seen anywhere between the mandibular angle and the mediastinum. In this report two cases with ectopic parathyroid glands are presented. First case is a patient presenting with persistent hyperparatyhroidism who had an ectopic fifth parathyroid on the median line, superior to thyroid's isthmus in front of the cricoid cartilage displaying normal histological findings and a sixth gland embedded in the pericardiac tissue which is an adenoma causing the hyperparathyroidic state. Second case is a patient operated for toxic multinodular goiter with an ectopic parathyroid gland on the anterior aspect of the thyroid isthmus' superior border with a vascular pedicule arising from the mediastinum. In this patient, the gland anterior to the isthmus is thought to be the ectopically located left lower parathyroid which was not detected in its usual localization.