Vocal fold hemangioma.

Laryngeal hemangioma with cavernous features isolated to the free edge of the vocal fold is a rare clinical finding. We examined a 28-year-old man who had sought medical attention for a 2-year history of hoarseness. On videostroboscopic examination, the lesion appeared to be a hemorrhagic cyst in Reinke's space. Unlike a classic hemorrhagic cyst, the overlying mucosa failed to vibrate and appeared to adhere to the lesion (figure 1).

The mass was excised using a miniflap technique with cold-knife instrumentation. Although the base of the mass was easily dissected from the surface of the vocal ligament, the lesion was adherent to the overlying vocal fold mucosa. Histopathology confirmed a diagnosis of hemangioma with cavernous features (figure 2).

Repeat videostroboscopy performed 3 months postoperatively revealed complete glottic closure at conversational pitches and a mild restriction in vibration amplitude at high pitches. The first case of an isolated vocal fold hemangioma was reported by Sataloffet al in 1995. [1] This patient represents the second case of a hemangioma involving the free edge of the true vocal fold.

Reference

(1.) Sataloff RT, Spiegel JR, Rosen DC, Hawkshaw MJ. Capillary hemangioma of the vocal cord. Ear Nose Throat J 1995;74:390.

From the Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Dr. Bielamowicz and Dr. Stager) and the Department of Pathology (Dr. Soofer), The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, D.C.