A Case of Hypopharyngeal Lipoma Resected by Transoral Surgery

Abstract

We report a case of hypopharyngeal lipoma resected by transoral surgery. A 64-year-old woman who was found to have a throat abnormality in a screening examination performed 4 years ago consulted us. The abnormality could not be detected during an upper gastrointenstinal endoscopy performed at an internal medicine hospital in the patient’s neighborhood. However, two years later, a repeat upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the hospital revealed a huge polypoid lesion in the thoracic esophagus to the esophageal inlet portion, it was removed to mouth side endoscopically. Since the patient had no subjective symptoms she was kept under observation. She developed discomfort again two years later, and as there was also a risk of suffocation, she was referred to our hospital. Based on the findings on CT, MRI and flexible endoscopy, the condition was diagnosed as hypopharyngeal lipoma. For ensuring complete endoscopic removal of a hypopharyngeal lipoma, it may be useful to insert the flexible endoscope under a curved-type Sato laryngoscope for obtaining a better field of view. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. We may include this condition under expended indications of laryngoscopic surgery in the future.