The Mitchell Lecture ON TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LARYNX: ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE PHYSICIAN: Deliverd before the Royal College of Physicians of London, November 6th, 1924

Laryngeal tuberculosis: A case of a non-healing laryngeal lesion

We report a case of laryngeal tuberculosis in a 47-year-old Korean man. Laryngeal tuberculosis is rare and currently accounts for less than 1% of all cases of tuberculosis. Clinical features of laryngeal tuberculosis include hoarseness, odynophagia and dyspnoea. Macroscopically, laryngeal tuberculosis may mimic laryngeal carcinoma, chronic laryngitis or laryngeal candidiasis. The diagnosis is often delayed due to a low index of clinical suspicion and hence may pose a significant public health risk. Laryngeal tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients who present with any form of laryngeal lesion.

A case of tuberculosis in Memphis

The resurgence of tuberculosis has been of increasing concern to public health. Laryngeal and cutaneous tuberculosis have long been regarded as two of the most infectious forms of the disease. In this article, we re-emphasize the public health consequences of a case of laryngeal TB, which must be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient with persistent fever, cough, weight loss, and hoarseness.

The presentation of laryngeal tuberculosis

Laryngeal tuberculosis is now a rare disease. We report 6 patients presenting within a 10-year period (1976-1986). Symptoms and signs often mimic carcinoma or chronic non-specific laryngitis. Greater clinical awareness and a chest radiograph prior to direct laryngoscopy may alert the clinician to the possibility of tuberculosis. The diagnosis is established by laryngeal biopsy.