Hamartoma at the base of the tongue with upper airway obstruction from the neonatal period

Abstract

Masses on the tongue base are rare and include malignant tumors, benign tumors, cysts, ectopic thyroid glands, and hamartomas. If the masses are enlarged, upper airway obstruction may occur. Hamartomas of the base of the tongue have been rarely reported, and there have been no reports of hamartomas associated with dyspnea beginning in the neonatal period.We present the case of a 14-year-old boy who had a tongue base mass since birth and was managed with a tracheal cannula. An absence of the lingual frenulum and impaired tongue movement were also observed. The mass was behind the base of the tongue and could not be observed intraorally but only on endoscopy. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a 24 × 21 × 32 mm lesion extending from the base of the tongue to the pharynx.Under the diagnosis of a benign tumor at the tongue base, a mass reduction surgery with biopsy was performed at the tongue base under general anesthesia using an intraoral approach. The result of the pathological examination was tongue hamartoma. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the tracheal cannula was removed 4 months after the operation under hospitalization. We also review previous cases of hamartomas of the tongue base with and without complications.