A CASE OF VASCULAR LEIOMYOMA OF THE LARYNX

We present a 68-year-old woman with a vascular leiomyoma of the larynx , a benign tumour that rarely involves that organ. Chief complaints we re a feeling of a narrowing of the pharynx and difficulty in breathing in the supine position. A spherical tumour measuring 1.5 cm and cover ed with normal mucosa was found at the margin of her epiglottis. The p atient was administered a general anaesthetic and the tumour was succe ssfully removed via direct laryngoscopy. Histological examination reve aled that the tumour lay beneath a layer of stratified squamous epithe lium and was encased in a well-defined fibrous capsule. The tumour par enchyma was composed of proliferated fibres that consisted of elongate d cells, surrounded by an abundance of blood vessels. Its complete rem oval is the treatment of choice with care taken to avoid profuse bleed ing. Recurrence is rare.