A Case of Angioleiomyoma in the Larynx

Abstract

We report a rare case of angioleiomyoma in the larynx. The patient was a 73-year-old male with no tumor-related complaint. During an operation for intestinal atresia, the anesthesiologist discovered a laryngeal tumor. Laryngoscopy revealed a tumor with smooth surface existing in the left aryepiglottic fold. The tumor touched the inside and the arytenoid area of the epiglottis and extended slightly over the vocal cord midline. Computed tomography showed the tumor to have clear boundaries, and to be internally uniform. MR imaging using gadolinium produced a clear, enlarged image of the tumor. The result of a histopathological exam performed after admission was suspicion of angioleiomyoma. Tracheostomy was performed under local anesthesia, and we attempted resection of the tumor by laryngomicrosurgery. However, because the tumor was large and there was much bleeding of the tumor, we ultimately resected the tumor through an external incision. Histopathology examination of the tumor specimen confirmed the presence of angioleiomyoma. This case suggests that when selecting the method of resection for angioleiomyoma, it is important to consider the possibility of tumor bleeding based on the tumor size and site, configuration of the tumor and clinical findings.