A Case of Schwannoma of the Epiglottis

Abstract

Schwannomas, which are tumors originating from the Schwann cells, are well-capsulated benign tumors, and are not common in the larynx. We describe the case of a 70-year-old woman with schwannoma of the epiglottis. The patient, who was scheduled to undergo mastectomy, was found to have a spherical mass in the larynx during intubation for general anesthesia. The mass was located on the pharyngeal aspect of the epiglottis. As she complained of a sense of incongruity of the pharynx, the tumor measuring 2 × 2 cm in size was completely resected by laryngomicrosurgery. Histopathology of the resected specimen revealed a laryngeal schwannoma. The nerve from which the tumor originated was uncertain. No recurrence has been noted during a follow-up period of more than 1 year.