A Case of Primary Chondrosarcoma of the Cricoid Cartilage

Laryngeal chondrosarcoma is a cartilaginous malignant tumor which is rarely encountered in the head and neck. They occur most often in the paranasal sinus, mandibule, and larynx. The cricoid cartilage is the most common site of the laryngeal chondrosarcoma. Complete surgical resection and postoperative radiotherapy are generally recommended. Almost all cases of the laryngeal chondrosarcoma are detected early because of the rapid development of symptoms such as dyspnea, dysphagia and hoarseness, which are caused by the anatomic location. Authors experienced a case of laryngeal chondrosarcoma that originated from the cricoid cartilage in a 67 yearold male without any symptoms. The mass was found on a routine esophagogastroduodenoscopy examination. Hemicricoidectomy with complete excision of tumor was performed via laryngofissure approach. The patient did not undergo radiotherapy, since all margins of the resected mass were tumor-free. There was no evidence of recurrence or metastasis 12 months after surgery. Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2010;53:378-82 Key WordsZZChondrosarcoma·Larynx·Cricoid cartilage.