Hypoplasia of the epiglottis in a middle-aged man

Hypoplasia of the epiglottis diagnosed at adulthood is extremely rare. Most patients with epiglottic hypoplasia have presented life-threatening symptoms of respiratory distress and severe aspiration in infancy or early childhood. This is a case of congenital epiglottic hypoplasia found in a 42-year-old man complaining of mild hoarseness and throat discomfort. Strobolaryngoscopy and CT scans revealed a unique anomaly with isolated epiglottic hypoplasia and normal appearance of other laryngeal structures. This case is discussed with a review of the literature on this rare occurrence.