Obstructing mass lesion of epiglottis: it can be tubercular.

We report a case of 60-year old male who had difficulty in breathing as well as in swallowing. On examination, he was found to be having proliferative growth of epiglottis and right aryepiglottic fold mimicking neoplasm. So emergency tracheostomy was performed and biopsy taken. He was found to be having asymptomatic miliary mottling on routine x-ray chest PA view. Further on HRCT, it turned out to be lesion suggesting tubercular etiology. Histopathology (epiglottic biopsy) report confirmed the whole process as tubercular. The patient recovered promptly in due course with anti-tubercular treatment. Point remains to be seen that if we can avoid tracheostomy and its complications in such cases.