[Benign laryngeal chondroma causing recurrent asthma attacks. Case report and review of the literature]

We report on a 74-year-old man who presented with recurring episodes of asthma. He was admitted in a severe asthmatic state which could not be resolved with the usual bronchodilatatory therapy. An attempt at oro-tracheal intubation failed due to an obstruction in the larynx and the patient died before an emergency tracheotomy could be done. At autopsy a chondroma of the larynx measuring 2.5 x 2.5 x 3 cm was found. It originated from the posterior cricoid cartilage and virtually filled the whole infraglottic space. Chondromas of the larynx are very rare. Dyspnea and hoarseness are the most frequent signs, a stridor is rarely noted. The asthmatic symptoms of our patient are unusual. Morphology, symptomatology, diagnosis and therapy of laryngeal chondromas are discussed and the literature reviewed.