[Choristoma in the vocal fold]

Choristoma in the larynx is rare and related to thyroid or glial tissue. The manifestation of salivary gland tissue in the larynx has not been reported to date. We present the case of an 80 year old male complaining of hoarseness and productive coughing. A left side tumourous swelling was seen in the larynx with intact vocal cord mobility. Using microlaryngoscopy the mass was resected without any intra- or postoperative problems. Histologically, a choristoma-heterotopic salivary gland tissue in the muscle and fat tissue--was found. The mucosa was intact and there were no signs of malignancy. Differential diagnosis of such masses in the larynx include benign lesions as well as specific infections, e.g. tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis and Wegener's granulomatosis. Especially in non-smokers, sarcoma, lymphoma and melanoma should be separated from the frequent squamous cell carcinoma of the laryngeal tissue. In rare cases, heterotopic tissue can mimic a tumourous mass. Intralaryngeal resection is the therapy of choice and should be recommended to the patient.