Nasopharyngeal Tuberculosis in a Patient Presenting With Upper Airway Obstruction

Abstract

Objective: To report a rare case of upper airway obstruction from multiple pharyngeal masses due to nasopharyngeal tuberculosis in a 22-year-old male.
 Methods:
 Design: Case Report
 Setting: Tertiary Government Hospital
 Patient: One
 
 Result: A 22-year-old Filipino male with upper airway obstruction from multiple pharyngeal masses was diagnosed to have nasopharyngeal tuberculosis by histopathology. He improved after six months of anti-tuberculosis medications.
 Conclusion: Tuberculosis should not be overlooked in the differential diagnoses of nasopharyngeal masses because of the difference in its management, and swift and adequate cure, compared to other nasopharyngeal pathologies.
 Keywords: tuberculosis, nasopharynx, mycobacteria, hypopharyngeal mass, upper airway obstruction

A mimic of nasopharynx carcinoma turned out to be primary nasopharynx tuberculosis

“…Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a rare type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis encompassing less than 1% of tuberculosis found in the upper respiratory tract. 2 Tuberculosis can infect the nasopharynx primarily without affecting any other organs or secondary to pulmonary or extrapulmonary involvement. 3 Primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis can be defined as isolated infection of the nasopharynx in the absence of pulmonary or systemic tuberculosis.…”