Hamartoma of the hypopharynx

Hamartomas of the hypopharynx are rare. Detailed microscopic study is necessary to differentiate these tumors from the adult-type rhabdomyoma, pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma, and granular cell tumor. To our knowledge, our case of a hypopharyngeal rhabdomyomatous hamartoma removed by a lateral pharyngotomy is the only verified hypopharyngeal case in the literature, although a lesion reported by H. W. Smith in 1959 as a laryngeal rhabdomyoma most probably represents a rhabdomyomatous hamartoma, similar to that of the present case.