A Case of Rheumatoid Nodule of the Larynx

Abstract

We report a case of rheumatoid nodule of the larynx. A 71-year-old woman seen for reported hoarseness had developed rheumatoid arthritis 15 years earlier that was treated using prednisolone and methotrexate. She suffered marked hoarseness following a sudden severe coughing. A few days later, white nodular lesions with a rough surface were observed in the bilateral vocal cords. The cricoarytenoid joint was not noticeably inflammed. Laryngo-micro-surgery was conducted to improve vocal facility. She was definitively diagnosed postoperatively a rheumatoid nodule of the larynx based on pathological and clinical findings. Few studies have been made of laryngeal rheumatoid lesions and no rheumatoid nodule of the larynx has been reported to date in Japan. Laryngeal rheumatoid lesions may have a serious or fatal outcome, necessitate early diagnosis and treatment.