Laryngeal tuberculosis, the great deceiver: A series of 10 cases.

BACKGROUND: Laryngeal involvement is rare in tuberculosis, representing around 1% of all cases of this infection worldwide. Given the larynx' location in the airway, this form of tuberculosis is of particular importance because it is highly contagious. With our hospital being in a high tuberculosis burden area, we propose to characterize the clinical presentation, evolution, and laryngoscopy findings of a series of laryngeal tuberculosis cases in order to reduce misdiagnosis. METHODS: Epidemiological and clinical data from 10 patients diagnosed with laryngeal tuberculosis in the Otorhinolaryngology department of (Blinded for manuscript) between January 2011 and December 2021 were retrieved and analyzed. RESULTS: There were eight males and two females. Seven patients had a history of smoking and alcohol abuse and four had silicosis. Hoarseness was the most reported symptom (n = 9). The most frequent site of involvement were the true vocal cords (n = 6). All patients but one had concomitant active pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients had full resolution of laryngeal symptoms between 4 and 16 weeks after initiating antituberculosis treatment. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal tuberculosis is indeed a great deceiver. On one hand it can look like a simple polypoid lesion or simulate laryngopharyngeal reflux; but on the other hand its risk factors, symptoms and appearance simulate laryngeal carcinoma like no other. Since most patients present with concomitant pulmonary tuberculosis, all suspect laryngeal lesions should perform a chest radiograph prior to rigid laryngoscopy. Antituberculosis treatment is effective in both alleviating symptoms and reducing the risk of transmission.

Laryngeal tuberculosis in the early 21st century. Literature review of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic data, according to SWiM guidelines.

OBJECTIVES: Review of the scientific medical literature dedicated to clinical data, diagnosis and treatment for laryngeal tuberculosis published since the turn of the 21st century. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Search of the Medline, Cochrane and Embase databases for the period 2000-2022. Selection of cohorts and case reports documenting clinical data, diagnosis and treatment for laryngeal tuberculosis. RESULTS: In total, 119 articles were analyzed. Immunodepression, HIV infection, history of lung tuberculosis, general symptoms suggesting tuberculosis, smoking and associated laryngeal cancer were noted in 18%, 3%, 20% and 41% of cases, respectively. No pathognomonic symptoms or signs emerged. Voice impairment, of various types and severity, isolated and/or associated with other signs, was the most frequent laryngeal symptom, in 86% of cases. All laryngeal sites were involved, with numerous and various associations. Impaired laryngeal motion and tracheotomy were noted in 6% and 1% of cases, respectively. Time to diagnosis varied from less than 1month to 36months, for a median 3months, in case reports. Laryngeal tuberculosis was diagnosed bacteriologically with certainty in 28% of cases while diagnosis was based on indirect criteria and/or involvement of another site in the other 72%, with lung involvement in 54%. Treatment duration ranged from 6 to 24months (median, 6months), using 3 to 5 (median: 4) antitubercular antibiotics, with 4 used in 80% of cohorts and 77% of case reports. Overall rates of cure, death, treatment resistance, adverse events, and laryngeal sequelae were 99%, 0.5%, 0.5%, 6% and 5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The clinical presentation and diagnostic difficulty in laryngeal tuberculosis did not change since the end of the 20th century. Quadritherapy is highly effective, with a low resistance rate and few adverse effects or laryngeal sequelae.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of laryngeal tuberculosis combined with respiratory tuberculosis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and prognosis of patients with laryngeal tuberculosis (LTB) combined with respiratory tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 134 patients who underwent endoscopy and were eventually diagnosed with LTB. The patients' demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, endoscopic features, auxiliary examination, imaging examination and prognostic characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: LTB patients had a median age of 45.5 years (range from 12 to 87 years) and a median course of 3.0 months (range from 0.1 to 72 months). The patients' symptoms mainly presented as hoarseness (97.0 %), abnormal sensation of pharyngeal (49.3 %), cough and sputum (41.0 %), pharyngalgia (39.6 %), dysphagia (10.4 %) and dyspnea (8.2 %). The positive rate of tuberculous symptoms was 25.4 %. Endoscopic features showed that the lesions mainly involved the glottis (87.3 %), presenting as unilateral lesions (66.7 %), near-full-length involvement (88.0 %), with mucosal waves significantly reduced (86.3 %), followed by supraglottis (43.3 %), subglottis (24.6 %) and the pharynx (15.7 %). The lesions may present as granulomatous proliferation (66.4 %), ulceration (65.7 %) or swelling and exudation (51.5 %). A total of 75 patients (56.0 %) were finally diagnosed with combined pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), with a positive chest X-ray rate of 25.6 % and a positive chest CT rate of 71.2 %. A total of 42 patients who received anti-tuberculosis treatment were followed up, and 73.8 % of patients had significant improvement in symptoms. The morphology of the pharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa returned to basically normal (59.4 %) or scar-like (34.4 %). CONCLUSIONS: LTB is usually found in middle-aged men, and patients' symptoms are mainly hoarseness, abnormal sensation of pharyngeal, pharyngalgia, cough and sputum, and can be combined with tuberculous symptoms. These lesions mainly involve multiple subregions, mainly in the glottis, and can be combined with pharyngeal involvement. There were various types of lesions. Half of the patients were complicated with PTB, and chest CT was superior to X-ray in the detection of pulmonary lesions. After regular anti-tuberculosis treatment, the symptoms and morphology of the pharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa of most patients were significantly improved.

Tuberculosis pulmonar y laríngea: una forma poco frecuente de presentación en la edad pediátrica / Pulmonary and laryngeal tuberculosis: a rare presentation in pediatrics / Tuberculose pulmonar e laríngica: uma apresentação pouco frequente na idade pediátrica

Introducción: la tuberculosis (TB) es una enfermedad infectocontagiosa granulomatosa crónica, producida por Mycobacterium tuberculosis. En Uruguay se ha notificado un aumento en el número de casos, con una incidencia reportada en 2017 de 28,6/100.000 habitantes, siendo de 6,67/100.000 en menores de 15 años. La tuberculosis laríngea es una forma poco frecuente y evolucionada de tuberculosis, que suele manifestarse con disfonía crónica. Su diagnóstico requiere un alto índice de sospecha. Objetivo: describir un caso clínico de presentación poco frecuente en la edad pediátrica. Caso clínico: adolescente de 13 años, sana, vacunas vigentes, con antecedentes de conductas sexuales activas y papilomatosis laríngea diagnosticada por laringoscopía directa como causa de disfonía crónica. Consulta en emergencia por dolor abdominal, constatándose al examen clínico adelgazamiento asociado a síntomas respiratorios y síndrome tóxico bacilar asociado a disfonía crónica de cuatro meses de evolución, por lo cual se plantea tuberculosis laríngea e ingresa para estudio. Niega contacto de tuberculosis. En la radiografía de tórax se constata lesión cavernosa en vértice pulmonar izquierdo. Las baciloscopías de esputo fueron positivas (directo y cultivo) confirmando el planteo de TB pulmonar y laríngea. Se realizó tratamiento antituberculoso supervisado con excelente evolución posterior. Conclusiones: la tuberculosis es una enfermedad reemergente en nuestro país, que requiere un alto índice de sospecha. Su diagnóstico sigue siendo un desafío para los pediatras ya que la confirmación diagnóstica no siempre es posible. En este caso clínico la sospecha clínica frente a una disfonía crónica asociada a síntomas respiratorios fue fundamental para establecer el diagnóstico, a pesar de no contar con nexo epidemiológico.

Introduction: tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious, chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. An increase in the number of cases has been reported in Uruguay, with an incidence reported in 2017 of 28.6/100,000 inhabitants, being 6.67/100,000 in children under 15 years of age. Laryngeal tuberculosis is a rare and evolved form of tuberculosis, which usually shows chronic dysphonia, which requires high levels of suspicion. Objective: to describe a clinical case with a rare presentation in pediatric age. Clinical case: 13-year-old female adolescent, healthy, fully vaccinated, with a history of active sexual behaviors and laryngeal papillomatosis diagnosed by direct laryngoscopy as a cause of chronic dysphonia. The emergency consultation was caused by abdominal pain, confirming the clinical examination weight loss associated with respiratory symptoms and bacillary toxic syndrome associated with chronic dysphonia of four months of evolution, for which laryngeal tuberculosis was considered and she was admitted for screening. She denies having been in contact with tuberculosis. The chest X-ray revealed a cavernous lesion in the left pulmonary apex and sputum smears were positive (direct and culture), confirming the suggestion of pulmonary and laryngeal TB. Supervised anti-tuberculosis treatment was performed with excellent subsequent evolution. Conclusions: tuberculosis is a re-emerging disease in our country, which requires a high level of suspicion. Its diagnosis remains a challenge for pediatricians since diagnostic confirmation is not always possible. In this clinical case, clinical suspicion of chronic dysphonia associated with respiratory symptoms were key factors to establish the diagnosis, despite not having a clear epidemiological link.

Introdução: a tuberculose (TB) é uma doença infecciosa granulomatosa crônica causada pelo Mycobacterium tuberculosis. No Uruguai, houve aumento do número de casos notificados, com uma incidência notificada em 2017 de 28,6/100.000 habitantes, sendo 6,67/100.000 casos de menores de 15 anos. A tuberculose laríngea é uma forma rara e evoluída de tuberculose, que geralmente se manifesta com disfonia crônica, exigindo alto índice de suspeita. Objetivo: descrever um caso clínico de apresentação pouco frequente em idade pediátrica. Caso clínico: menina adolescente de 13 anos, saudável, totalmente vacinada, com história de comportamentos sexuais ativos e papilomatose laríngea diagnosticada por laringoscopia direta como causa de disfonia crônica. Consulta de urgência por dor abdominal, comprovando emagrecimento associado a sintomas respiratórios e síndrome bacilar tóxica associada a disfonia crônica de quatro meses de evolução, para a qual foi considerada tuberculose laríngea e a paciente foi internada para estudo. Ele nega contato com tuberculose. A radiografia de tórax revelou lesão cavernosa em ápice pulmonar esquerdo e as baciloscopias de escarro foram positivas (direta e cultura) confirmando a sugestão de TB pulmonar e laríngea. O tratamento antituberculose supervisionado foi realizado com excelente evolução subsequente. Conclusões: a tuberculose é uma doença reemergente em Uruguai e requer alto índice de suspeita. Seu diagnóstico permanece um desafio para o pediatra, pois a confirmação diagnóstica nem sempre é possível. Neste caso clínico, a suspeita clínica de disfonia crônica associada a sintomas respiratórios foi fundamental para o estabelecimento do diagnóstico, apesar de não ter vínculo epidemiológico.

TBC laríngea: una localización poco común de la tuberculosis / Laryngeal tuberculosis: an unusual location for tuberculosis

Según datos de la OMS, la tuberculosis es una de las diez primeras causas de muerte en el mundo y es la primera causa de muerte por un agente infeccioso único. La incidencia de la tuberculosis ha disminuido por término medio un 1,5% anual desde el año 2000 sin embargo el impacto de la pandemia por el SARS-CoV-2 pudiera retardar el diagnóstico y tratamiento de nuevos casos de TB. Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino de 26 años de edad quien consulta por presentar fiebre de predominio vespertino, pérdida de peso y disfonía de 6 meses de evolución. Los BK y cultivos de esputo seriados resultaron negativos. Es referido al Servicio de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía Facial del Hospital Universitario Dr. Luis Gómez López donde se realiza una nasofibrolaringoscopía evidenciándose epiglotis con superficie de aspecto irregular que se extiende hasta aritenoides y zona interaritenoidea y bandas ventriculares edematizadas que no permiten visualizar repliegues vocales. Se realiza microcirugía laríngea para toma de biopsia reportando el estudio histopatológico proliferación de vasos neoformados, espacios intervasculares ocupados por macrófagos y linfocitos, presencia de múltiples lesiones nodulares formadas por macrófagos epiteloides rodeados por un halo de linfocitos y numerosas células gigantes de Langerhans. Se realiza el diagnóstico de tuberculosis laríngea y se inicia tratamiento antituberculoso(AU)

According to the WHO, tuberculosis represents one of the top ten causes of death worldwide and is the number one cause of death from a single infectious agent. The incidence of tuberculosis has decreased an average of 1.5% annually since the year 2000, however the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic could delay the diagnosis and treatment of new cases of TB. We report the case of a 26-year-old male who consulted for fever, weight loss and dysphonia with a duration of 6 months. BK and sputum cultures were negative for M. tuberculosis. The patient is referred to the Otorhinolaryngology and Facial Surgery Clinic of the Dr. Luis Gomez Lopez University Hospital where a nasofibrolaryngoscopy is performed showing an epiglottis with an irregular surface that extends to the arytenoids and interarytenoid zone and edematous ventricular bands that do not allow visualization of vocal folds. Laryngeal microsurgery is performed to obtain a biopsy sample. Histopathology reveals proliferation of newly formed vessels, intervascular spaces occupied by macrophages and lymphocytes, presence of multiple nodular lesions formed by epithelloid macrophages surrounded by a halo of lymphocytes and numerous giant Langerhans cells. Diagnosis of laryngeal tuberculosis is made and antituberculous treatment is initiated(AU)

Tuberculose faringolaríngea / Laryngo-pharyngeal Tuberculosis

A apresentação faringolaríngea da tuberculose como forma isolada da doença é rara, entretanto, nos últimos anos, com o aumento progressivo do número de casos de tuberculose em geral, a possibilidade dessas localizações aumentou. OBJETIVO: Descrever caso de tuberculose faringolaríngea primária em paciente grávida e imunocompetente. RELATORIO DE CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 30 anos, com história de odinofagia há 10 meses, sem qualquer sintoma sistêmico ou outras queixas referentes às vias aéreas superiores. Apresentava lesão granulomatosa em orofaringe e laringe, e o resultado da biópsia revelou bacilos álcool-ácido resistentes. Exames clínico e radiológico do aparelho respiratório sem alterações. Realizado tratamento anti-tuberculose por nove meses com resolução completa do quadro. CONCLUSÃO: Autores realçam a importância epidemiológica da tuberculose e a necessidade de um alto grau de suspeição de lesões das vias aéreas superiores para o diagnóstico precoce da doença.

Tuberculosis of the Larynx and pharynx only is rare. However, in the last few years, the number of tuberculosis cases in general have had a dramatic increase, thus increasing the possibility of isolated laryngo-pharyngeal lesions. AIM: To report a case of isolated laryngo-pharyngeal tuberculosis in a pregnant, immunocompetent host. CASE REPORT: A 30- year-old pregnant female had complained of odynophagia for the last ten months. There were no other respiratory or systemic symptoms. An oro-pharyngeal granulomatous lesion was found, and the biopsy revealed acid-fast bacilli. There were no clinical or radiologic pulmonary findings. She was submitted successfully to an tuberculosis treatment protocol for nine months. CONCLUSIONS: The authors point out the epidemiological importance of tuberculosis and the need for a higher degree of suspicion when dealing with uncommon upper airway lesions to make an early diagnosis.