Isolated epiglottic tuberculosis: presented as severe respiratory distress

Abstract

<p class="abstract">Tuberculosis is a systemic disease and it can involve any organ of the body. Laryngeal tuberculosis, caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis is quite common in our ENT practice but it is usually a complication of pulmonary tuberculosis, and most patients with laryngeal tuberculosis have coexisting active pulmonary tuberculosis. Most of the times the area of involvement in this secondary laryngeal tuberculosis is posterior part of the larynx. We are reporting a case of isolated primary epiglottic tuberculosis, which is a rare entity, who presented with severe respiratory distress and inspiratory stridor. It was initially suspected and misdiagnosed as a case of laryngeal carcinoma because of common laryngoscopic findings of diffuse edema, deformed laryngeal cartilages and ulcerations in both of these conditions but on further evaluation it was diagnosed as primary epiglottic tuberculosis with no pulmonary involvement. After making the correct diagnosis from histopathological examination, the patient was managed successfully by anti tubercular treatment.</p>