Objective and importance: Ganglioneuromas are rare benign tumors of the neural crest occurring in early childhood. They are occasionally diagnosed in young adults due to their mass-effect on adjacent structures. We report a case of ganglioneuroma incidentally diagnosed in an adult man.
Clinical presentation: A 41-year-old man presented with left-sided cervical radiculopathy symptoms due to degenerative disc disease at the C5-6 and C6-7 levels. The diagnostic radiology work-up revealed a mass in the left side of the neck between the carotid artery and jugular vein.
Intervention: Surgical excision of the mass was performed and the histological diagnosis of ganglioneuroma was established. The patient developed left-sided Horner's syndrome post-operatively.
Conclusion: The present case suggests that these tumors may have insidious presence in the adult population, and therefore, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a lateral neck mass in asymptomatic adult patients.