A Rare Case of Arytenoid Cartilage Neurofibroma Mimicking Laryngeal Carcinoma.

Abstract

Neurofibroma is a benign tumor arising from neural crest-derived cells and is characterized by a nonencapsulated growth pattern that incorporates surrounding nerve fibers. Laryngeal involvement is rare, and arytenoid cartilage localization is exceptionally uncommon. We present a 46-year-old woman with hoarseness and cough in whom flexible laryngoscopy demonstrated mucosal swelling over the right arytenoid cartilage. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 15 × 10 mm lesion that was isointense on T1-weighted images and heterogeneously hyperintense on T2-weighted images, with no diffusion restriction and heterogeneous contrast enhancement. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of neurofibroma. The lesion was completely excised using a CO₂ laser under microlaryngoscopic guidance. The patient's symptoms resolved postoperatively, and no recurrence was observed during follow-up. Although laryngeal neurofibromas lack specific radiological features, magnetic resonance imaging plays a key role in evaluating lesion extent and in supporting the differential diagnosis, particularly by demonstrating the absence of diffusion restriction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an arytenoid cartilage neurofibroma with subglottic extension. Histopathological evaluation remains essential for definitive diagnosis, whereas minimally invasive CO₂ laser excision represents an effective treatment option for small and localized lesions.