A Case of Laryngeal Sarcoidosis Difficult to Diagnose

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a multiorgan granulomatous disease of unknown cause, named after the characteristic histopathological findings of the disease. In this article, we shall report a case in which biopsy needed to be repeated three times until a final diagnosis of laryngeal sarcoidosis could be made.
Since sarcoidosis associated with only a laryngeal pathology may not be associated with any laboratory abnormalities in many cases, first priority should be attached in suspected cases to detect the presence of noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas. In this case, the results of the first and second laryngeal biopsies did not show non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas, while the third biopsy showed noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas with giant cells. Finally, the diagnosis of laryngeal sarcoidosis was made after the results of whole-body imaging became available.
Laryngeal sarcoidosis must be borne in mind as a suspected diagnosis in cases where the larynx shows yellowish-white diffuse swelling.