Laryngeal tubercolosis: a case report with focus on voice assessment and review of the literature
Acta otorhinolaryngol. ital; 42 (5), 2022
Ano de publicação: 2022
Laryngeal tuberculosis (LTB) is a rare manifestation of tuberculosis (TB), accounting for
1% of all TB cases. Despite its rarity it is the most frequent laryngeal granulomatous disease. We performed a systematic literature review of the last 20 years on LTB and also
present a case from our hospital with special focus on voice assessment. The literature
review includes a total of 308 cases, involving studies from seven countries. In all, 64.3%
of patients were males. At the time of diagnosis, the mean age range was 44.6-56.5 years.
Odynophagia, hoarseness and dysphonia were the most frequent presenting symptoms. In
64 cases, the initial suspicion was laryngeal cancer. Most cases involved the true vocal
folds. In about a third of cases a primary LTB with normal chest radiographic was found.
Although it can be treated successfully, LTB may cause significant changes in voice quality.
Nowadays, LTB is rarely diagnosed and may be confused with laryngeal cancer, it should
also be included in the differential diagnosis with all other chronic benign inflammatory and
non-inflammatory diseases of the larynx.