[Diagnostic difficulties in benign hypopharyngeal tumors. Demonstrated by a case example of pedicled angiolipoma]

Benign intraluminar tumours of the hypopharynx or upper esophagus are often pedunculate. In cases of very soft tumours such as the present case (angiolipoma), the patient's symptoms may be so uncharacteristic that one might think of a "globus nervosus". If the peduncle is very thin, X-ray esophagograms or even endoscopic examinations may be negative. Those tumours may become very dangerous if, as a result of a vomiting reflex, they obstruct the upper airways. The present paper points out diagnostic problems. Diagnosis may be facilitated if anamnesis is considered carefully.