Laryngeal tuberculosis: A diagnosis not to be overlooked

Leukoplakia or LPR: The Misdiagnosis of Laryngeal Tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE

The objective is to reduce the rates of misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment of laryngeal tuberculosis (LTB).

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical records of 3 histopathology-confirmed cases at a tertiary medical center from 2000 to 2018.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients with LTB included in this study. Of the 17 patients, 16 patients were male and 1 was female; 11 patients had a history of smoking. Odynophagia was the chief complaint in 6 cases, and 11 patients complained of hoarseness. The appearance of the affected larynx was ranged from diffuse swelling (n = 7, 41.2%), mucosa white lesion (n = 5,29.4%), and granulomatous tumors (n = 2, 11.76%), and these features presented together (n = 2, 11.76%). Seventeen patients with LTB were misdiagnosed as acute epiglottitis in 4 (23.5%) patients, acute laryngitis in 1 (5.9%) patient, leukoplakia in 5 (29.4%) patients, laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in 6 (35.3%) patients, and laryngocarcinoma in 1 (5.9%) patient. Chest computed tomography reported old pulmonary tuberculosis in 2 (11.7%) patients, active pulmonary tuberculosis in 7 (41.2%) patients, and normal lung status in 8 (47.1%) patients. Histopathological examination reported Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by revealing epithelioid cell granulomas with Langhans-type giant cells in 14 (82.4%) patients and epithelioid cell granulomas with caseous necrosis and Langhans-type giant cells in 3 (17.6%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Laryngeal tuberculosis was easily misdiagnosed as acute epiglottitis or leukoplakia because of diffuse swelling of the epiglottis or white lesions over the true vocal cord, especially patients with increasing LTB were misdiagnosed as LPR with the enhancement of LPR awareness among otolaryngologist. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of LTB for chronic intractable laryngitis with failure treatment of proton pump inhibitor and recurrent acute epiglottitis with foreign body injury.

[Diagnostic difficulty of isolated laryngeal tuberculosis in a diabetic woman]

La tuberculose laryngée isolée est rare. Elle peut mimer une tumeur maligne retardant le diagnostic et aggravant le pronostic. Le terrain diabétique favorise la survenue des infections notamment la tuberculose dans sa forme sévère. Nous rapportons l'observation d'une patiente diabétique de type 2, âgée de 51 ans, hospitalisée pour une fièvre prolongée, une dysphonie et un diabète déséquilibré. Les hémocultures étaient négatives. L'examen laryngoscopique a confirmé un aspect érythémateux et épais des deux cordes, une lésion ulcérée peu profonde de l'hémilarynx gauche et une végétation érythémateuse de 5 mm de diamètre. L'examen histologique a révélé des granulomes épithéloïodes et giganto-cellulaires avec une nécrose caséeuse évocateurs de la tuberculose. La culture sur milieu de lobstein de tissus biopsiés à partir des cordes vocales a été positive. Aucun autre foyer tuberculeux n'a été retrouvé. Le traitement par une combinaison de l'isoniazide, la rifampicine, l’éthambutol, la pyrazinamide a permis une résolution de symptômes.