Unveiling the hoarseness of voice: a case report of laryngeal paraganglioma

Abstract

Voice hoarseness is a common clinical symptom, often resulting from underlying laryngeal pathologies, which can be either non-neoplastic or neoplastic. Laryngeal paraganglioma, a neuroendocrine tumor with a rare occurrence, originating from the parasympathetic paraganglia of the larynx, typically presents with nonspecific symptoms such as hoarseness, making it difficult to diagnose. The authors present a case of a 19-year-old male with a 5-month history of hoarseness who visited the outpatient department. Laryngoscopy revealed a supraglottic submucosal lesion involving the right aryepiglottic fold. Histopathology suggested potential diagnoses such as a neuroendocrine tumor, carcinoid, paraganglioma, or medullary thyroid carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of paraganglioma. This case report highlights the importance of considering paraganglioma as the differential diagnosis of laryngeal lesions despite its rare occurrence in the larynx. Early identification is crucial for developing an effective treatment strategy and achieving optimal patient outcomes. Our case report adds to the growing literature on the clinical presentation and diagnostic evaluation of laryngeal paragangliomas.

Keywords

• parasympathetic paraganglioma; sdhb mutation; supraglottic growth; sustentacular cells; zellballen pattern