Laryngeal sarcoidosis

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous disease that tends to involve the lungs, hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes, liver, eyes, skin, bones, and nervous system. Sarcoidosis involves the larynx less commonly than it afflicts these other sites. Laryngeal sarcoidosis may occur in isolation or as a component of systemic sarcoidosis and it may produce hoarseness, dysphagia, and dyspnea. Life-threatening airway obstruction can occur. Treatments used for laryngeal sarcoidosis have included tracheotomy, low-dose radiation, surgical excision, systemic steroids, and intralesional steroids. An autoimmune etiology has been suggested. The patient reported in this manuscript showed marked, sustained improvement following the use of inhaled steroids prescribed for obstructive pulmonary disease. The possible efficacy of steroid inhalers for treatment of laryngeal sarcoidosis warrants further investigation.