SUBGLOTTIC STENOSIS SECONDARY TO TUBERCULOSIS

Although the incidence of laryngeal tuberculosis has been declining ov er the past 30 years, it should still be considered in the differentia l diagnosis of patients with laryngeal pathology. In contrast to the p re-chemotherapy era, few, if any, signs of pulmonary tuberculosis are seen in such cases, and presentation is similar to either chronic non- specific laryngitis or carcinoma. The subglottis is a site rarely invo lved in laryngeal tuberculosis. Tissue biopsy and culture are diagnost ic and a full course of antituberculous chemotherapy usually resolves the condition. Airway insufficiency due to fibrosis, however, often ne cessitates surgical intervention. We present a case where the only lar yngeal manifestation of tuberculosis was subglottic stenosis.