Laryngeal Schwannoma Arising in the Laryngeal Region : A Report of Three Cases

Schwannomas are benign tumors that originate from Schwann cells and rarely but occasionally occur in lesions of the laryngopharynx. We herein report three cases of schwannoma in the laryngeal region, two of which were resected using an external surgical approach and one of which was resected by transoral surgery. Case 1 was a 68-year-old woman who presented with a 1- or 2-year history of hoarseness. Case 2 was a 50-year-old woman who presented with a 5-month history of dysphagia. Each tumor was located between the false vocal cord and aryepiglottic fold and was resected using an external surgical approach. Case 3 was a 39-year-old woman who presented with a 3-year history of discomfort during swallowing. The tumor was 35 mm in size and located on the right arytenoid cartilage. The tumor was resected via transoral surgery using an FK-WO retractor. If the tumor is estimated to be divisible and resectable based on its size and location, transoral resection may be an option, after discussing the risk of recurrence with the patient.