title: Laryngeal schwannoma as an acute airway presentation.
abstract: A schwannoma is a neurogenic tumour arising from nerve sheaths. Between 25% and 45% of schwannomas occur in the head and neck region. Schwannomas of the larynx are extremely rare. They usually occur in women during the fourth and fifth decades of life. We present a case of a laryngeal schwannoma in a 76-year-old patient with acute stridor, hoarseness and dysphagia. Laryngeal conservation surgery was performed without the need for a tracheostomy. One year later, the patient remains symptom-free with no evidence of recurrence. Clinical presentation, diagnosis and management are discussed and the literature is reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Department, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Markou
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Department, AHEPA University General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Stamatia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dova
authors.affiliation: Histopathology Department, AHEPA University General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poulios
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Department, AHEPA University General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karkos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007830:Larynx / Q000473:pathology*; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014132:Trachea