Mast cell pharyngitis as a cause of supraglottic edema.

A 30-year-old nonatopic woman had experienced a 9-year history of persistent symptoms of supraglottic edema. She had previously undergone epiglottectomy and excision of redundant left arytenoid tissue to improve her breathing and dysphagia. Uvular tissue was removed surgically at our clinic for histopathological examination of the excised tissues. This revealed diffuse infiltration by mast cells, many of which appeared degranulated. Uvular tissue from control patients undergoing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for obstructive sleep apnea contained significantly fewer mast cells per high power field. To our knowledge such a degree of mast cell infiltration into supraglottic tissues has not been reported previously or associated with clinical symptoms.