Radiofrequency excision of a large postcricoid mucous cyst.
OBJECTIVE
To present the case of a patient with a large mucous cyst originating from the postcricoid region that was removed by radiofrequency excision.


METHODS
A 75-year-old male who complained of progressive difficulty in breathing, dysphonia, and throat discomfort upon swallowing presented at our clinic. Computerized tomography imaging showed a 4 x 4 x 3 cm cystic mass in the hypopharyngeal region. The patient had been on medical therapy for rheumatoid arthritis for 25 years, and his ability to extend his neck was totally restricted. Thus, the Kleinsasser operating laryngoscope could not be inserted; instead, the blade of a flexible intubation laryngoscope and a 30 degree rigid nasal endoscope was used to visualize the lesion.


RESULTS
The walls of the cyst were excised from the postcricoid region using a radiofrequency device to avoid bleeding.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiosurgery of these kinds of lesions produces less hemorrhage and may provide a suitable alternative to classical surgery.
Department of Otolaryngology, Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. sametozlugedik@yahoo.com
S
S
Ozlugedik
A
A
Titiz
Y F
YF
Yilmaz
M S
MS
Tezer
A
A
Tezer
A
A
Unal
D000368:Aged; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D009078:Mucocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed