Paraglottic space schwannoma: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Neurogenic tumors located in the larynx are extremely rare. Among them, schwannoma is a benign encapsulated tumor originating from Schwann cells, which form nerve fiber sheaths in the peripheral nervous system. We herein report a case of a schwannoma arising from a rare subsite of the larynx and review the literature on laryngeal schwannoma. The case involved a woman with a 1-month history of globus pharyngeus and dysphagia without dysphonia. Rigid laryngoscopy and magnetic resonance imaging showed a large submucosal bulge toward the medial wall of the right pyriform fossa, pushing the right false and true vocal cords and aryepiglottic fold inward. A transcervical approach was used to completely excise the tumor without incisional biopsy or preliminary tracheotomy. Histology confirmed a benign schwannoma originating from the right paraglottic space, which was extremely rare. During follow-up, no evidence of recurrence or a residual mass was found. The transcervical approach is a useful and less invasive treatment for laryngeal schwannoma located in the paraglottic space.