Tuberculosis of the larynx: clinical aspects in 19 patients

Laryngeal tuberculosis continues to exist in spite of extensive tuberculosis eradication campaigns. We present 19 cases of laryngeal tuberculosis seen in our institution between 1982 and 1987. From the clinical findings it is clear that the localization of the lesions has changed since the preantibiotic era. Today the spread appears to be mainly via lymphatic and hematogenic routes, as opposed to the direct spread more common previously. The fibrosis caused by the lesions is incapacitating and frequently requires surgical correction.