Lipoma of vallecula—a case report

Lipomas of the larynx, oropharynx and hypopharynx are rare, accounting for approximately 1% of benign laryngeal neoplasms. We present a rare case of a simple lipoma arising from the right vallecula. A 55-year-old male presented with worsening dysphagia for 1 week. CT scan revealed a lesion of fat attenuation in the right vallecula. The patient underwent surgical excision and recovered uneventfully. To our knowledge, there are only two cases of vallecular lipoma that have been reported and they are both of spindle cell subtype and located on the left side. This is the first reported case of a simple lipoma arising from the right vallecula and causing obstructive symptoms. CT scan or MRI is essential in confirming the diagnosis and assessing the extent, thus allowing prompt excision, especially when the patient is symptomatic.