Subacute Epiglottitis Causing Polypoid Laryngeal and Glottic Masses

Abstract

72-year-old woman with history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and tobacco use presented to hospital with a one-month history of progressive shortness of breath with dysphagia and a one day history of stridor requiring intubation for airway obstruction. Direct laryngoscopy revealed obstructive well-circumscribed glottic mass with supraglottic edema and a polypoid laryngeal mass. Biopsy of mass demonstrated only acute inflammation tissue with no tumor. She became febrile with blood and sputum cultures positive for group G Streptococcus and was started on antibiotic treatment. After one week of antimicrobial therapy, repeat laryngoscopy showed complete resolution of glottic mass leading to clinical diagnosis of bacterial epiglottitis due to group G Streptococcus. The patient was ultimately extubated with a full recovery.