Orolaryngeal sarcoidosis presenting as obstructive sleep apnoea

A 53-year-old man was evaluated for snoring, dysphagia for solid foods and difficulty of breathing and a polysomnographic recording was consistent wit h a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). A flexible fiber optic bronchoscopy (FFB) showed the presence of a nodular lesion of the pos terior ventral surface of the tongue strictly connected to the left lateral border of the epiglottis. The biopsy specimen taken from the lesion was co nsistent with sarcoidosis. No involvement of pulmonary parenchyma, lymph no des or other organs was recognized. After two months of steroid treatment, symptoms disappeared and resolution of the nodular lesion at the FFB and no rmalization of the polysomnographic recording were observed. This is the fi rst report of orolaryngeal sarcoidosis associated with OSAS as the only cli nical presentation of the disease.