Object numberGC.8767
DescriptionLarynx and top of trachea.
The larynx is opened up to reveal a large mass occupying the laryngeal space.
The mass, which is a benign tumour called a fibroma (labelled F), is in an area of the throat called the epiglottal fold just above the glottis. The tumour occupies much of the space through which air travels to and from the lungs and over the vocal cords (V) to make speech sounds. Even though the tumour was not malignant and so not life-threatening in the sense of spreading and eroding into other tissues, its sheer bulk was producing symptoms. These included problems with eating, probably related to the inability of the epiglottis to close properly over the trachea and so allowing food into the lungs and also causing hoarseness and noisy breathing. The severity of these symptoms necessitated its surgical removal and so efforts were made to remove it with a galvanocaustic snare – a loop of wire which is heated to a high temperature by an electric current. This is used to ‘lasso’ the tumour and cut it through the base. Unfortunately this procedure failed, resulting in severe bleeding from which the patient did not recover.
Object nameLARYNX
Object categoryAnatomical, specimen
Dimensions
- container Height: 13 cm
Width: 12 cm
Depth: 6 cm